The Impel Down Trials
by XFangHeartX
Summary: A retelling of the Impel Down arc featuring Blizzard. Summary inside. Read and review, and no flames or hate please! SPOILERS INSIDE! Don't like, don't read.
1. Arriving at Hell

One Piece: The Impel Down Trials

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

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><p>Summary- Luffy's brother is about to be executed! Ace is being held up in the maximum Marine prison, Impel Down. There, Luffy and Blizzard must infiltrate the prison and help Ace escape. However, with a poison-spewing prison warden, it may be easier said than done. Luckily, some unlikely allies may be able to help!<p>

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><p><strong>Ch. 1- Arriving at Hell<strong>

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><p>When we last left Monkey D. Luffy, he had gained the trust (and affections) of "Pirate Empress" Boa Hancock and the Kuja. Upon learning that his brother, Portgas D. Ace is going to be executed, Luffy and Blizzard stow away on a Marine battleship with Hancock's help. In order to save Ace, Luffy must infiltrate the maximum Marine prison: Impel Down.<p>

Not just that, but the Whitebeard Pirates have also begun to take action and have thus declared war on Marineford.

Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp had come to pay Ace a visit before his execution day.

All he could do was sigh.

"I tried to raise you and Luffy into being great Marines," said Garp. "Instead, you decided to become a pair of notorious hoodlums!"

Ace just sat there in silence; not that he could move, very much, anyway.

"I'm sure you've heard about Luffy's exploits," Garp continued. "He went and declared war on the World Government at Water Seven and practically destroyed the Island of Judgment, Enies Lobby! I rushed right over there and gave him a good ol' fashioned Fist of Love!" He sighed. "But, like always, he still hasn't learned his lesson. Now, he's gone and caused a huge ruckus at the Sabaody Archipelago, as well as his new dog. Well, that's my grandson for ya!" He broke out into a guffaw.

Ace couldn't help but smile a bit.

However, Garp soon stopped laughing.

"Oh, another thing," he said. "I told Luffy about his old man."

_Flashback_

Luffy stood behind Garp, who was busy rebuilding the wall that he broke through.

"I have a Dad?" Luffy asked. "Who is he?"

"Your father's name," Garp began, his pinky shoved up his nostril, "is Monkey D. Dragon! The Revolutionary Leader!"

_Flashback end_

"Luffy was quite surprised to learn that he had a father," said Garp. "Although…I think that deep down, he might've been upset, too…maybe because he thought that he didn't care enough about his mother to help her when she needed it."

"I doesn't even matter, Gramps," said Ace. "Unfortunately for me and Luffy, we both carry the blood of two of the world's most infamous criminals in our veins. We couldn't be Marines if we wanted to. I took the surname 'Portgas' from my late mother, whom I owe a great deal to, but I never, ever wanted to carry my ne'er-do-well father's blood, mostly because I have no memory of him and that I don't owe him a damn thing."

"I understand, Ace," Garp began, "but you see, he tried-"

"What I'm trying to say is," Ace spat, "Gramps…"

_Flashback_

A 17-year-old Ace sat on the ground on his knees, exhausted and his shirt nearly in shreds. Towering over him stood the mighty Whitebeard and his men.

"You're far too valuable to die now, my boy," said Whitebeard. He reached a hand out to Ace. "Come with me, and you can roam the seas as wild and free as you wish under my name! Become my son, Ace!"

Ace gasped in surprise, but Whitebeard just gave him a toothy smile.

_Flashback end_

"My Father," Ace said. "My REAL and ONLY Father…has…and always will be…" he gave Garp a grin, "Whitebeard."

Garp just sat before Ace before heaving another sigh.

XXX

Meanwhile, on the Marine battleship that Luffy and Blizzard had stowed away on, Luffy was sitting on the lounge of Hancock's quarters, staring at the Vivre Card, his hair concealing his eyes.

Blizzard laid next to him, staring at his master in concern before he placed his head in his lap, earning an absentminded pet on the head in response.

Hancock also showed concern as she spied on Luffy from behind.

However, outside, the unknowing Marines had spotted something on the horizon.

"Vice Admiral Momonga, sir! I see a pirate ship!"

"Whose is it?"

The Marine soldier zoomed in with his binoculars and saw the pirate ship's flag. It looked like a Jolly Roger with a big red nose.

"That insignia…I think I've seen it before from somewhere. I'll go look into it!"

"Don't bother," said Momonga. "If you can't seem to remember who the ship belongs to, then they must not be that infamous. Leave them be! We've no time to waste on this trip!"

"Yes, sir!"

XXX

On a familiar looking pirate ship, it was revealed that it belonged to none other than the Buggy Pirates, and right now, a Sea King had just appeared beside the ship.

"Yikes!" Cabaji yelped. "Look at the size of that Sea King!"

"If he sees us," Mohji began, "then he took swallow the whole ship in one bite!"

Luckily for them, the Sea King just dove back into the smooth surface of the water; the Calm Belt, where it belonged.

"Phew," sighed a relieved Cabaji. "That was a close one. Well, we came all this way, but it doesn't look like there's anything we can do! What do you suggest, Sister Alvida?"

Behind the group of clown-like pirates, Alvida walked up to them, her iron mace in her hand.

"Why are you asking me?" Alvida questioned. "It was you fools who wanted to come here AND who spent a fortune on that Eternal Pose."

"It was all to plan a rescue mission for Captain Buggy!" Mohji exclaimed. "He's held up in Impel Down, you know!"

The pirates then began to cry (comically), showing the sadness they bore at the thought of losing their beloved captain.

Alvida simply smirked and said, "Look around. We're about to enter the dreaded Calm Belt, where the Sea Kings roam and breed. Do you honestly think that we can sail this ship through _there?_" She turned back to the crew. "There is only one safe course, and that is exclusive only to the Marines. They're not gonna open up the Gate of Justice for a crew of pirates."

"You mean we can't even get there?" Mohji asked in disbelief. "If we don't do something, Captain Buggy will be executed!"

"Along with our friend, Ace!" Cabaji added.

**GRRROOOOOARR!** Richie growled sadly.

"Oh, and listen to poor ol' Richie!" Mohji said. "He's sad just thinking about what'll happen to the captain!"

In reality, Richie was too busy thinking about his stomach to worry about Buggy. Right now, he was thinking about a nice hot bowl of steamed rice.

"Impel Down is the maximum prison," said Alvida, "and it's nearly impossible for one to infiltrate into or escape from. It's best if you just give up on that fool. Buggy the Clown's luck has finally run out."

The Buggy Pirates fell to their hands and knees.

"No! It can't be!" cried Mohji. "Captain Buggy will not die like this!"

"That's right!" agreed Cabaji. "Until he finds the treasure island of Captain John, we will stay by his side, forever!"

**GRRRAAAAAARR!** Richie growled, again.

"What a compassionate lion you are, Richie!" Mohji praised through his tears.

Once again, Richie's mind was still on food. This time, he was thinking about a nice fresh leg of meat.

"Oh, Richie~!" the Buggy Pirates cried as they all gave the sad (and hungry) lion a group hug.

"Well, have fun," Alvida said. "I'll be taking the _Big Top_ and you lot can have a dinghy."

The Buggy Pirates gasped in shock.

"You can't!" Mohji said. "This is Captain Buggy's ship!"

"True," said Alvida as she pointed her mace at the pirates, "but Buggy isn't here, now is he?"

"Well, no, but-"

**SMASH!** Alvida drove the end of her mace into the deck.

"Listen here," she said. "I am not walking up to Death's doorstep and I am not letting you incompetent louts to waste this ship. You can go ahead and chase after Buggy to your hearts' content. However, I think you'll most likely die before you can even SEE Impel Down."

Mohji, Cabaji, and Richie glanced at each other in worry. As much as they hated to admit it, Alvida was right. If the Buggy Pirates just continued on their way, there was a great chance that they'd be eaten by a Sea King before they could reach Impel Down.

Plus…they were just a bunch of chickens.

"Captain Buggy!" Mohji cried. "Thank you for all you've done for us!"

"We'll never forget you!" Cabaji added.

**RRAAAAAWWR!** Richie roared in sadness (but mostly hunger).

"Have a peaceful execution! Farewell!"

"We'll see you again, in the next life!"

**RAAAAAAAWWWRR!** Richie roared again, this time thinking about some fried fish.

"Ah, Rich! I feel your pain!"

**GRAAAAAAOORR!**

XXX

"This is Vice Admiral Momonga, Marine Code G100660. We are about to sail into the current, so please open the Gate!"

The Marine ship that Luffy, Blizzard, and Hancock is approaching the Tub Current, which is exclusively used only by World Government officials, such as Marines. It connects three of the government's central facilities…

One of which is Impel Down, the Maximum Underwater Prison.

There, one would find devices that would be used for torture, such as whips, pools of water that are used for drowning, shackles, a noose, and other devices.

One could hear the sounds of tormented screams and cries of "PLEASE, JUST KILL ME!"

A pair of prisoner had gotten into a scuffle in one of the cells, but they were soon silenced by a monstrous figure that carried an iron mace. They were thrown inside another cell, where something even more terrifying awaited them…and were never seen again.

Small spiders could be seen crawling among piles of decomposing skeletons that lay in a crimson forest of needles and knives.

A boiling vat of crimson liquid was placed over a huge sea of flames.

The growls and roars of hungry beasts with saliva cascading from their jaws could be heard amongst the symphony of screams.

One might say…that this place was a true Living Hell.

It has been four-and-a-half days since Luffy, Blizzard, and Hancock left Amazon Lily, the Island of Maidens, and they were now arriving at their destination.

The Marine battleship came before the humungous Gate of Justice.

"Vice Admiral Momonga! We are now arriving at Impel Down!"

"Hurry and open the Gate!"

"Aye-aye, sir!"

The Gate opened, thus allowing the Marine ship entrance.

Luffy looked out through the window, small beads of sweat forming on his face.

**Gulp!** Blizzard swallowed the lump in his throat as unease and nervousness began to sink in, but a stroke on the back from Luffy soon calmed him down.

"So this is the world's greatest prison, huh?" Luffy questioned.

_No turning back,_ Blizzard thought.

The battleship sailed through the Gate, and once inside, Luffy and Blizzard saw that there were even more battleships surrounding a huge building in the middle of the ocean.

"We were delayed due to headwinds, Vice Admiral Momonga, sir!"

Momonga looked down at his wristwatch.

"Oh, my," he said. "We must hurry, then! Get Hancock, now!"

"Yes, sir!"

Four Marines came to Hancock's door.

"Lady Hancock! We've arrived!"

"I'll be right out."

Luffy and Blizzard were still looking outside, and needless to say, they were quite surprised to see so many battleships; the most that they had ever seen.

"What the hell?" questioned. "This place has more battleships than a Buster Call!"

"Since it's the maximum prison," Hancock began, "it's necessary. You've actually seen a Buster Call, though?"

"Yeah," Luffy answered. "Is Ace really inside that place?"

"He's probably being held up underwater," Hancock said as she pulled on her cape. "Now come. Get under my cape, and Blizzard, get on my shoulders."

Luffy and Blizzard looked to Hancock, then at each other, then back outside, and then back to each other.

"Well, buddy," Luffy said as he pet Blizzard on the head. "This is it. No turning back, now."

Blizzard nodded, fully prepared to take on whatever this place threw at them.

XXX

The Marine battleship soon anchored in the harbor that led to the main entrance of Impel Down. Momonga, Hancock (who had Luffy hidden inside her cloak and Blizzard draped over her shoulders), and Salome had disembarked, and they were soon greeted by the many Marine soldiers that were there.

"Welcome Vice Admiral Momonga!"

"OOOOOH~! L-look at her!"

"It's the Pirate Empress! She looks like a goddess!"

"Her beauty is positively breathtaking!"

"How man volts is her beauty? 10,000? 100,000? 1,000,000?"

"What's that obnoxious sound?" Hancock questioned. "It offends my ears. Can't I turn these fools to stone?"

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't," Momonga advised. "The Marines do not need further humiliation."

"Psst…!" Luffy whispered. "Are we inside yet?"

"Not yet, Luffy," Hancock whispered. "Please, be patient."

"Your one condition to coming here," started Momonga, "was that you wished to see Portgas D. Ace, am I right? As I had said before, even though you're one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, pirates are not normally allowed anywhere near this prison. So, once inside, you will have to be put on a full-body search and wear Sea Prism Stone handcuffs. We can't allow you to do anything that might help initiate an escape."

_Oh, damn…_ Blizzard cursed in thought.

Hancock put her hands around her chest.

"Luffy," she whispered. "They're going to search me."

"Just keep going," Luffy whispered. "I'll think of something."

"If you say so," Hancock whispered.

XXX

Inside the prison, a mysterious figure was speaking into a Transponder Snail.

"What? Buggy the Clown has escaped from his cell? And he's eaten a Devil Fruit?"

**Tap! Tap!** One of the staff of the prison, a woman, came knocking at the open door.

"Vice Warden!" she said. "Vice Admiral Momonga and Lady Hancock of the Seven Warlords of the Sea have arrived!"

"I'll be right there!"

XXX

Outside, the swooning staff had opened the gates for Momonga and Hancock.

"Let's go, Luffy, Blizzard," Hancock whispered as she, Salome, and Momonga entered Impel Down.

Only 33 hours remained until Ace's execution.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

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><p><strong><strong>Review, please!


	2. Infiltration

**Ch. 2- Infiltration**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

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><p>Hancock (with Luffy and Blizzard in tow), Salome and Momonga entered the prison through the main entrance. Once inside, even from where they were standing, they could hear the tormented, agonized screams of the prisoners below them.<p>

Even Luffy could hear them from his hiding place.

"What a depressing atmosphere this place has," commented Momonga. "It's like a taste of Hell."

_Ain't that the truth?_ Blizzard thought.

As the group walked in further, they were soon greeted by a large, pot-bellied man that was like a mix between a devil and an Egyptian pharaoh. His brow ridge was shaped like horns, his chin was shaped like a pharaoh's false beard, and he wore a green-and-yellow striped nemes with his hair coming from the inside. His face in particular is designed in such a way that it looked like a Hannya mask. Attached to his shoulder-blades were two bat-like wings and in his hand was a pitchfork.

This is Hannyabal, the Vice Warden of Impel Down.

"Welcome," he said, "to my Impel Down. Whoops! Did I say 'my'? My mistake! I'm getting ahead of myself." He reached his hand out to Momonga. "I am Vice Warden Hannyabal. A pleasure to meet you."

"I am Vice Admiral Momonga," Momonga said as he shook the Vice Warden's hand.

"I heard you were coming," said Hannyabal before he looked up and saw Hancock. "Ah! This must be Lady Hancock! My Lady Hancock? Oops! There I go, again! Sorry! Anyway, that idiot warden, Magellan, is in his office on Level 4. Vice Head Jailer Domino and I will escort you to him!"

A woman appeared behind Hannyabal.

She was a slim woman with long, wavy blonde hair with bangs going over her right eye, the left eye being obscured by a pair of sunglasses. She wore the military-like uniform of the staff of Impel Down, which consisted of a short, pale brown, double-breasted jacket that was worn like a dress over a white shirt and black tie, all paired with brown boots and purple gloves far longer than the ones worn by regular staff. On her head was a standard Impel Down cap.

She was Domino, the Vice Head Jailer.

"Come with me," she said with a salute. "We'd better hurry. Excuse me, Vice Admiral, but you're going to have to go into that room to be searched."

"Understood," said Momonga as he went inside a different room while Domino lead Hancock to another.

As they walked, Hancock looked over to a fence that had what looked more torture devices.

"When prisoners arrive here," Domino explained, "they are taken into the area on the side of the fence that you see here. Their clothes are thrown into a bubbling cauldron called 'Hell's Lukewarm Bath'. It's somewhat like a baptism ritual, and it sterilizes the clothes as well. Of course, there are many different kinds of criminals here. Some recent arrivals, such as Portgas D. 'Fire Fist' Ace, Former Warlords Jimbei and Crocodile, are those types. They're just a few of the prisoners who have undergone the baptism without batting an eyelid. Most admirable, if you ask me."

_Ace,_ Luffy thought.

Hancock, Salome, and Domino soon entered the room. Inside, Hancock could see a Surveillance Transponder Snail on the wall.

"Guests are searched in a private room, such as this," said Domino. "Go on in. There's nothing to fear. I recommend that you remove your cape and wolf-skin scarf."

Blizzard refrained from moving out of shock. He didn't want to do anything that would jeopardize the infiltration.

Luffy gasped silently from his hiding place.

"All sorts could be hidden in capes and scarves," Domino said. "We'll have to leave them here. It's not that we don't suspect you of anything, but in order to ensure the security of this facility, we have Surveillance Transponder Snails placed throughout Impel Down. They transmit continuous video to our security monitors." She pulled out a pair of Sea Prism Stone handcuffs. "Now, please put on these Sea Prism Stone handcuffs, Lady Hancock."

_Damn, damn, damn…!_ Blizzard cursed in thought.

**Ba-bump! Ba-bump! Ba-bump!** Luffy's heart was racing.

Maybe, if he was quick, he could grab Blizzard and make a run for it before they saw him, but then…

Hancock turned to Domino with the most innocent looking face.

"Please," she said, "be gentle."

"Wha…?" Domino gasped, a blush appearing on her face.

"Love-Love MELLOW!"

**SHOON! KRINK!** Hancock fired her beam at both Domino and the Surveillance Transponder Snail, thus turning them both to stone.

"Luffy, Blizzard," said Hancock. "It's safe, now."

Luffy jumped out from Hancock's cloak while Blizzard leapt off her shoulders, stretching his limbs and causing his joints to pop, slightly.

_Man,_ he thought. _I sure was getting stiff hanging on to her like that!_

"Phew!" Luffy sighed in relief. "That was a close one!" He picked up his hat, which fell on the floor when he came out, and placed it on his head. "I was afraid that Blizzard would have to make a run for it while they weren't looking!"

"Forgive me, Luffy," Hancock said. "This is as far as I can take you and Blizzard. From here on, my powers will be disabled and I'll have no cape to hide you with. I wanted to help you both more, but-"

"Don't worry about it!" Luffy said. "If it weren't for you, Blizzard and I would've gotten this far! You managed to sneak us both in here even though it was surrounded by battleships! Blizzard and I will be fine on our own! We're strong!"

"But Luffy," Hancock said, "this fortress was designed to keep prisoners in. Whatever you do, please, don't do something that will get you and Blizzard in trouble. If you're both captured, you both will never leave here alive! I know you're both quite powerful, but please, promise me that you won't cause a ruckus."

**Whap!** Luffy grabbed Hancock's hand, making her gasp.

"Sure!" he said. "I promise! Thanks for everything, Hancock! I'll never forget what you've done for Blizzard and me! Someday, we'll return the favor!"

Hancock was in too much a shock.

For once…Luffy had just called her by name!

The Pirate Empress fell to the floor, shuddering, while Luffy and Blizzard jumped and hung from the ceiling.

"My life…is complete!" Hancock whispered.

"Okay, Hancock!" Luffy called. "You can turn them back, now!"

_I don't think you should call her by name, anymore, Luffy,_ Blizzard thought.

"So this is what it means to have unrequited love," Hancock whispered.

"Hello~?" Luffy called. "Anybody home? I said you can turn them back to normal, now!"

Blizzard just put a paw to his forehead and sighed.

XXX

Outside, Hannyabal and Momonga were waiting for Hancock, Salome, and Domino to come out.

"They're certainly taking their sweet time," Momonga said.

"Well, it's a full-body search," said Hannyabal. "They have to be thorough about it…a thorough body check…" a blush appeared on his face. He suddenly gasped.

_Even…THOSE parts?_ he thought as a small drop of blood came seeping out of his nose.

"What are you thinking about?" Momonga asked.

**BELLIP-BELLIP-BELLIP!** Hannyabal's Mini-Transponder Snail started ringing.

"**Vice Warden Hannyabal! We've lost the video feed from the search room! Is there something wrong?"**

"Hmm?" Hannyabal hummed. "What's Domino doing in there?"

**Knock! Knock!** Hannyabal knocked on the door.

"Domino!" he called. "Is everything going all right in there?"

No response.

"She's not answering," said Hannyabal. He then gasped. "Now's my chance to get a peek on Lady Hancock's body search with the excuse that I had to confirm the situation due to my position as Vice Warden!"

"Now, wait just a minute," Momonga said.

Suddenly, the door opened, revealing Hancock without her cape and no Blizzard curled around her shoulders. Just in her red blouse and a pair of Sea Prism Stone cuffs on her wrists that prevented her from using her Devil Fruit abilities. Following behind her were Salome and Domino.

"Forgive us," Domino said. "The search is complete. Did we take too long?"

"**Surveillance is back on. No problems here."**

"Very well, then," said Hannyabal.

_Strange,_ Domino thought. _My mind feels a bi hazy._

"Humph," Hancock scoffed. "This is completely intolerable. I'm not a prisoner, you know! Do you have any idea who I am?"

"Forgive us, Lady Hancock," Hannyabal apologized, "but you must bear with it. We're only following regulations."

As they were speaking, Luffy and Blizzard took this chance to sneak out of the room and jump to the wooden rafters above.

"Please take me to him," said Hancock.

"Of course," Hannyabal said. "Right this way to the elevator. It will take us to the fourth floor, the Inferno Floor, where you will find Magellan. I'll have to warn you, it's going to be hot in there."

As the group entered the elevator, Hancock saw Luffy and Blizzard hanging from the rafters.

_Luffy! Blizzard!_ she thought.

Luffy gave Hancock a big smile, which earned a nod from her.

_Good luck to you both,_ she thought.

Luffy held a thumbs-up and mouthed, "Thanks a lot!"

Hancock gasped and held a hand over her mouth, much to the surprise of those around her.

"What's the matter, now?" Momonga asked.

_Did he say…he loved me?_ Hancock thought before she soon collapsed, her cheeks pink.

"L-Lady Hancock!" Hannyabal cried. "Are you all right?"

"What's wrong with you?" Momonga questioned. "You've been acting so strange lately!"

**WHIRRRR!** The elevator began to descend, which gave Luffy and Blizzard the opportunity to go proceed with their rescue mission.

"Okay, Blizzard," Luffy said. "Where do we go, now?"

_How the hell should I know?_ Blizzard thought.

"That guy did say that the elevator goes down to the cells," Luffy pondered aloud, "and Hancock did say Ace is somewhere below. Oh, wait!" He pulled out his brother's Vivre Card from the ribbon of his hat. "I still have this! C'mon, Blizzard, while there's still time!"

Blizzard nodded.

And so, with their infiltration successful, Luffy and Blizzard ran to rescue Ace.

Time remaining: 32 ½ hours.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

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><p>Review, please!<p> 


	3. A Reunion in Hell

**Ch. 3- A Reunion in Hell**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

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><p>When we last left Luffy and Blizzard, they had successfully infiltrated the Great Prison, Impel Down with the help of Hancock, who is on her way to see the Head Warden, Magellan. With only 32 ½ hours left until Ace's execution, the two Straw Hats proceed with their rescue mission.<p>

Outside the prison, or rather, underwater, a huge striped Sea King was seen swimming by, just minding its own until…

**GRAAAAAAARRR!** The huge beast suddenly roared in agony before it fell limp…dead.

Large chunks of its flesh were seen falling off and were being carried off by these strange, burly, masked, gorilla-like creatures that wielded double-sided axes and wore blue cloaks with a black skull painted where their faces should be.

The creatures swam up to an opening that led back inside the prison.

"**The Blugori Jailers have returned. Food collection compete."**

"**Open the hatch."**

The creatures, now known as "Blugori" jumped out of the water and shook themselves dry.

"Good work," said one of the staff.

XXX

**BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!**

Sirens were blaring all around and red lights were flashing on and off.

Inside the monitor room…

"There he is! I found him!" said one of the staff as he picked up a Transponder Snail. "The missing inmate, Buggy the Clown, from Level 1, Group Cell No. 4, has been sighted in the corridor near Solitary Cell No. 22! Capture him, immediately!"

XXX

In said corridor, a shadowy figure was seen sneaking about until the alarms went off.

"Damn it!" he cursed. "They spotted me!" He turned a Surveillance Transponder Snail and somehow shot his fist at it to punch it. "You damn flashy snail!"

XXX

Inside another cell, a group of inmates were laughing at an escaper's expense.

"You hear that? Sounds like Buggy got caught!"

"That's what he gets for trying to escape without us!"

"They're gonna torture that son of a bitch for sure! Hee-hee-hee!"

**TMP! TMP! TMP!** A large pack of Blugori were seen charging passed the cells, earning cheers from the inmates.

"Whew! There go the Blugori!"

"Yeah! Go get him!"

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

XXX

Meanwhile, Luffy and Blizzard were following the direction of the Vivre Card, but all it kept doing was pointing downward, not to mention lead them to a dead end.

"Damn," Luffy cursed. "Why does the Vivre Card keep pointing down? We just ran into another dead end!"

_Maybe it's trying to tell us that Fire Fist is below us,_ Blizzard thought.

"I thought we'd be underwater by now," Luffy said.

While Luffy was wondering about their current situation, Blizzard's ears suddenly twitched at the sound of footsteps and voices, and it sounded like they were coming from the flight of stairs to their right.

"It's Prisoner No. 8200."

"He has Devil Fruit powers, so don't forget the sea prism stone."

"He won't get away from us, easily. No prisoner has escaped Impel Down alive! Well, expect for that one time."

"Uh-oh," Luffy muttered. "Quick, Blizzard! We gotta hide!"

Blizzard nodded in agreement before Luffy grabbed him and then jumped up to the rafters, just as the guards came down, armed with rifles.

**KREEEK!** The large door that Luffy and Blizzard ran into opened, thus allowing them to sneak in, unnoticed.

"Sweet!" Luffy whispered. "We're in, buddy!"

The guards ran through the door and split in two separate groups, hoping to corner the escaped prisoner.

Luffy and Blizzard had just entered Level 1, the Crimson Hell. Why it was called that, the two didn't really see, and right now, they didn't really care.

Nothing seemed crimson around here, anyway.

The two pirates stood up on a higher level above the guards as they ran through the corridor.

"Man," Luffy whispered. "This place is huge!"

_Yeah,_ Blizzard agreed in thought. _Way bigger than the Mayor's house._

"Anyway," Luffy began, "we better keep going."

Blizzard nodded in agreement before they ran down the corridor. Along the way, they could hear the agonized, horrified screams of the tormented inmates.

"Screams…?" wondered Luffy.

_Good lord…!_ Blizzard thought.

"Aw, well," said Luffy, just shrugging it off. "We gotta keep moving!"

"Psst! Hey, kid!"

Luffy and Blizzard soon braked to a halt, the former jogging in place, and turned to a group of prisoners.

"How'd you and the wolf get out?" asked one inmate.

"Out?" Luffy repeated, questioningly. "What are you talking about? Blizzard and I came from outside! See ya!"

"No! Wait! Don't lie to us, you little weasel!"

"Who the hell are you, anyway?"

"Yeah! You don't look like one of the guards!"

"And your wolf doesn't look like he's one of the Wolf Unit."

_The Wolf Unit?_ repeated Blizzard in thought. _Who're they?_

"Hey, you guys wouldn't happen to know where Ace is, would ya?" Luffy asked, quickly.

"Ace?" the prisoners repeated in disbelief.

"You mean 'Fire Fist' Ace?"

"Yeah," Luffy answered. "He's my big brother, and Blizzard and I came to bust him out."

"Ha! Do you guys hear this kid? He's nuts!"

"Yeah! Coo-coo!"

"Screwball!"

_You guys have no idea,_ Blizzard thought.

"I heard he got thrown in here," said an inmate in the cell behind Luffy, "but odds are he's in Level 5, where the ones with bounties of over 100 million Berries are being held. It's impossible!"

"Hey, kid, while you're down here, you think you and the wolf can go to the guard's room and steal the keys to the cell for us? Huh? What do you say?"

"Yeah, c'mon kid! Please!"

"Be a pal!"

"What are the chances of us meeting in this great, big world, eh? You've gotta be a godsend! C'mon!"

_You've gotta be kidding me,_ Blizzard thought in disbelief. _Hell no!_

"What's Level 5?" Luffy asked, completely ignoring the prisoners' pleas.

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!"

Luffy and Blizzard turned upon hearing that scream and turned to see a group of the Blugori chasing after the same shadowy figure from before.

_What the hell?_ Blizzard questioned in his head. _What are those things?_

"They're chasing that guy!" Luffy exclaimed.

"Yikes! It's the Blugori! Run for it, kid!"

_Blue what?_ Blizzard thought.

"Hey, kid! You and that wolf of yours better run for it! Those things will you both in a heartbeat!"

**UHOHO!** A Blugori grunted as it grabbed the escaping prisoner by the shoulder. It pulled out its axe and **SLASH!** He cut the guy vertically in half!

"Whoa!" cried Luffy. "Blizzard, quick! Let's get outta here!"

Blizzard nodded before he and Luffy turned tail and ran like there was no tomorrow as the Blugori gave chase. Following behind them was the guy who got cut in half.

It was revealed to be none other than Buggy the Clown, one of Luffy's many nemeses, struggling to run, but due to him being split up, his halves could only hobble.

"DAH!" Buggy cried. "I can't run like this!"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE THESE THINGS?" Luffy questioned.

_How is that guy still alive?_ Blizzard thought as he turned to Buggy.

**SHLUP!** Buggy's halves soon rejoined, making him whole, again.

"Ha-ha!" the clown pirate laughed. "No one cut a Chop-Chop man, you stupid Blugori!"

_A Chop-Chop man?_ Blizzard repeated in thought as he kept running. _So he ate a Devil Fruit? No wonder!_

At that moment, Buggy finally noticed that he was running alongside Luffy.

"GAAAAAAH!" he screamed, his body splitting apart. "Straw Hat? What the hell are you flashily doing here?"

"Huh?" Luffy muttered. "Oh! It's you, Buggy! Long time, no see!"

"Don't give me any of that crap!" Buggy barked. "So, they finally caught you, eh, Straw Hat? Serves you right!"

"What are you talking about?" questioned Luffy. "Blizzard and I didn't get caught! We broke in!"

"What?" Buggy yelled. "What kind of a flashy fool would break INTO a prison? Unless…" He suddenly became tearful. "Unless you heard about me being in here and came to rescue me!" He shook his head in disbelief and returned to being angry. "BAH! That's bull! What a revolting thought! You coming to save me!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Luffy yelled. "I promised Hancock that Blizzard and I wouldn't cause trouble, and look what you've gotten us into!"

**GRAAARR!** Blizzard growled out.

_Yeah! Thanks a lot!_

**SMASH!** The three narrowly escaped getting slashed by an axe.

"Do you think I'm doing this for fun?" shouted Buggy. "My great Buggy-Sneaky-Escape Plan has been ruined, too!"

"Whatever," Luffy said bluntly.

"WHAT?" Buggy questioned.

Blizzard snickered.

Up ahead, more Blugori were seen blocking their path.

"Uh-oh!" Luffy said. "Here come more of them!"

"Damn!" Buggy cursed.

_Now what?_ Blizzard thought.

"We don't really have to run, do we?" Luffy asked.

"Are you out of your mind?" barked Buggy. "If they catch us, they'll torture us! You don't how ruthless these flashy freaks are!"

_Who're you calling "freak", freak?_ Blizzard thought.

"Blizzard and I can't get caught," said Luffy. "We're in a big hurry, right now. Well, guess there's no point in sneaking around, anymore. We've already caused a ruckus, huh, buddy?"

**RUFF!** Blizzard barked.

Buggy just heaved an exasperated sigh.

"That's just what I hate about you and that red-headed bastard friend of yours," said Buggy. "You and your devil-may-care attitudes!" He raised his head up. "Fine! You win! I'll do it! We'll change this escape plan from sneaky to flashy!"

"Sounds good to me!" Luffy agreed.

**GRR~!** Blizzard growled, going into a fighting stance.

**UHOHOHO~!** The Blugori lunged at their victims.

"Gum-Gum PISTOL!"

"Chop-Chop CANNON!"

_Bullet FANG!_

**WROING! BAP! WHAP! POW!** Luffy and Buggy punched two Blugori in the face while Blizzard bit another in the gut.

It appeared that an unlikely had just joined up in their rescue mission.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

><p>All right! Buggy's here!<p>

Review, please!


	4. The Crimson Hell

**Ch. 4- The Crimson Hell**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>When we last left Monkey D. Luffy and "White Wolf" Blizzard, they had successfully infiltrated Impel Down, the world's maximum prison, to help Portgas D. Ace escape from execution. They get a tip from one of the prisoners that he may be being held up in Level 5. Along the way, they run into an unlikely ally…<p>

Luffy's first nemesis: Buggy the Clown.

Now, the trio were busy fighting off the Blugori Jailers.

Two of the Blugori charged Luffy, who quickly jumped out of their way. As he stood behind them, he outstretched his leg.

"Gum-Gum…WHIP!"

**BAP!** Luffy made a sweeping kick with his leg and slammed the Blugori into the wall.

Blizzard charged at one Blugori, who charged back at him. The wolf-dog ran at full speed, his nose pointed down and his crown pointed forward.

_CRACKER!_

**BONG!** Blizzard laid a devastating head-butt to the Blugori's skull.

One Blugori charged Buggy with axe wielded.

"DAH!" Buggy screamed. "No, no, please! Don't kill me!"

**WOHO!** The Blugori grunted as it raised its axe, prepared to swing.

"Heh," Buggy smirked. "Just kidding. Chop-Chop QUICK ESCAPE!"

**SLASH! POP!** Buggy's head came flying off of his body and into the air.

Then, **WHAP!** He grabbed the Blugori by its chest and **WHOOOOM!** He lifted the beast into the air, first by splitting his torso from his waist and then his hands from his arms.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Buggy cackled. "Now fall and flashily spilt your skull open! AERIAL TAILSPIN BIG TOP!"

**FWISH-FWISH-FWISH-FWISH! KRASH!** Buggy sent the Blugori spinning down, headfirst into the floor.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Buggy laughed as he body became whole again. "Well? How's that, sea gorilla?"

**WOHO…!** The Blugori stood right back up.

**SNURK!** Buggy snorted in shock.

"It didn't stop him?"

**WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!** The Blugori gave chase after the Chop-Chop man, throwing punches at his splitting body.

"No, wait!" Buggy cried. "Stop that! Leave me alone, you sea ape!"

"Gum-Gum BULLET!"

**POW!** Luffy laid a strong punch to the Blugori's gut.

A pause came, until the large beast fell to the floor, defeated.

"Well," said Buggy, "it looks like you've gotten stronger since the last time we met, Straw Hat."

"These guys are tough bastards," Luffy commented. "What the heck are they?"

"They're called Blue Gorillas," Buggy answered. "They're the ocean's martial artists, but down here, we call them 'Blugori'! Don't drop your guard just yet! After all, there are still four of them left." He turned to see Blizzard standing on the bodies of the four remaining Blugori. "YOU AND THAT MUTT ALREADY BEAT THEM?"

"Well, Blizzard and I don't have time to fight them all!" Luffy said.

Blizzard yawned in boredom. These guys were way too easy for a wolf-dog of his strength. As he absentmindedly scratched at his ear, he suddenly caught a glimpse of Buggy's big, red, shiny nose, and instantly, he saw an image of his favorite red ball that he and Luffy would play fetch with.

_BALL!_ he cried in his head before he jumped down from the Blugori and lunged at Buggy, who yelped in surprise, but his yells of surprise soon turned into yells of pain when Blizzard began to bite down on his nose and try to yank it off.

"DAAAAAAH!" Buggy screamed. "GET THIS DAMN, FLASHY MUTT OFF ME!"

"Blizzard, no!" Luffy cried as he attempted to pry his dog off of the clown pirate's face. "C'mon, buddy, let go! I know it looks funny, but we don't have time for this! Let go of him! C'mon!"

The prisoners, on the other hand, were amazed at Luffy and Blizzard's display of strength against the Blugori.

"Whoa…" said one. "That kid and his dog kicked some real Blugori ass!"

"Hey, kid! Who are you?" questioned another.

"Get us outta here, please!" cried one more. "Get the key!"

XXX

Meanwhile, somewhere in another corridor, the guards had just received new information from another member of the staff via Mini Transponder Snail.

"**I thought there was only one escapee on the loose."**

"So did I," said the guard.

"**I'm not entirely positive, but we thought we saw two more. They were in front of the Community Cell No. 10 on Level 1...and they've defeated five of the Blugori!"**

"What? That's impossible! There's not a prisoner on Level 1 that could be a match for the Blugori!"

XXX

Back with Luffy, Blizzard, and Buggy, Luffy had managed to pry his dog from Buggy's face. Afterward, he had just gotten through explaining the situation to the clown pirate.

"WHAT~?" Buggy cried. "YOU'RE HERE TO SAVE ACE?" He then lowered his voice to a whisper, putting a finger to his lips. "Quiet! They'll hear us!"

"You're the one who's yelling," Luffy remarked.

_Yeah,_ Blizzard thought.

"C'mon, guy!" said one of the prisoners. "Get the key for us! Be a pal!"

"SHADDUP!" Buggy barked as he kicked at the cell bars.

"So you know Ace?" asked Luffy.

"Yeah, I do," Buggy replied as he strapped one of the Blugori's axes to his back. "And, unlike you, your brother is more polite than you are! We ended up being drinking buddies a couple of months ago. Too bad he got captured. The Marines must be crazy to arrest one of Whitebeard's men!"

"Well, Blizzard and I have to get to Level 5," Luffy said. "We heard that Ace might be down there. Where is he?"

"How the hell should I do know?" Buggy questioned. "You and that damn mutt can go wherever you please! I could care less! I mean, what do you think we are? Pals or something? I'm not stupid to go down there! It's suicide, I'm telling you!" He then turned to leave. "Well, thanks for getting me out of that jam, at least. I'm out of here, Straw Hat!"

"You'll never make it," said Luffy. "This whole place is surrounded by a dozen battleships. You really think you can get out of there alive?"

**Snort!** Buggy snorted, again.

_They must be expecting Whitebeard to attack this place,_ he thought. _Maybe I picked a bad time for an escape. Perhaps I'll kill some time and…wait a minute._ He looked back at Luffy. _Is that…?_

"Looks like I'll have to ask somebody else," Luffy said to himself.

"Get the key…!" one of the prisoners muttered.

"No…" Buggy said as he turned away. "It couldn't be!" He then did a double-take. _Could it?_

"Well, see ya later, Buggy," said Luffy. "Blizzard and I are off to Level 5! Good luck with your escape!"

Buggy may've been looking to Luffy, but his eyes were really set on his glass arm band on his left bicep.

_It…it is!_ the clown thought.

"WAIT, STRAW HAT!" Buggy cried as he tackled Luffy to the railing.

"WHAT IS IT NOW?" Luffy snapped.

"There they are!"

**KABANG-BANG!** Gunshots were fired.

The trio had been spotted.

"GAH!" yelped Buggy. "They've found us!"

"Uh, yeah!" Luffy said. "BECAUSE YOU KEEP SHOUTING!"

_You were just shouting, too!_ thought Blizzard. _Oh, who cares? RUN FOR IT!_

With that, the three made a for a quick exit as the guards gave chase.

"Straw Hat!" Buggy exclaimed. "That arm band! I want it! Give it to me!"

"No way!" Luffy said. "Nami gave this to me as a gift!"

"I'll tell you how to get Ace~!" Buggy declared as his torso flew up into the air.

"You will?" Luffy asked, hopefully.

_I don't trust this guy,_ Blizzard thought.

"Of course!" Buggy agreed. "But only if you give me that arm band!"

"Sure! It's a deal!" Luffy said.

"Excellent!" Buggy exclaimed. "But first, we have to flashily get these guards off our tail! Hold my feet!"

"Your feet?" Luffy repeated.

**SHUMP!** Buggy's feet threw themselves into Luffy's arms.

To further explain Buggy's powers, he can detach any part of his body and move them at will, but the range of his abilities is limited. His body part may be able to fly, but his feet cannot.

"Now, follow me!" Buggy ordered as he flew off with Luffy and Blizzard following behind. "I'll take you and the mutt to the entrance to Level 2!"

"Level 2?" Luffy repeated as he and Blizzard jumped over a pit in the floor. "But Blizzard and I are trying to get down to Level 5!"

"You can't get just get there directly from here!" Buggy remarked. "Listen and listen good, Straw Hat! The uppermost underwater level of Impel Down is Level 1, where we are now. Level 2 is below us and Level 3 is below that and so on. The farther down you go, the more dangerous the prisoners! They sent me down to Level 4 to be tortured, but I don't know anything about the levels below that one, but Level 5 prisoners are the most wanted prisoners in the world with bounties of over hundreds of millions! It's a terrible place! And some prisoners are sent to a level that's even lower than that! There're monsters there, so dangerous that they've been erased from history! It's only a rumor, but that level may be where Ace is being held! Anyway, I can get you to Level 4! After that, you and the mutt are on your own!"

"Okay, thanks!" Luffy said.

Buggy smirked.

He never would've thought that he would find the marker that would lead him to the fabled treasure island of Captain John in a place like this. He and his crew had been searching different islands in the Grand Line, but to no avail. Buggy's luck finally ran out when he accidentally stepped into a Marine base by mistake and was instantly arrested.

_This must be a blessing in disguise!_ he thought to himself.

"You sure got helpful all of a sudden, Buggy," said Luffy.

Buggy cackled and said, "Of course! You promised to give the treasure marker that would show me where Captain John's loot is!" He snorted and covered his mouth.

_I really have to keep my big mouth shut!_ he thought.

_I knew there was a catch!_ Blizzard thought, growling.

"I guess they kept you on Level 1 since you're such a wimp, huh?" Luffy joked.

"SHUT IT!" barked Buggy.

_So he didn't notice, after all!_ he thought. _I forget that he has the attention span of a rodent!_

"So this arm band is a treasure map, huh?" Luffy asked. "I didn't know that!"

_Heh-heh!_ Blizzard chuckled in thought. _If Nami ever found out, she'd lose it!_

**WHAP!** Buggy grabbed at the axe strapped to his back.

"So, you heard me, after all!" he said. "Well, it looks like I'll have to take it by force!"

**Grr~!** Blizzard growled at Buggy, prepared to lunge at his face again if he tried something, but then…

"Here you go!"

Luffy just held out the arm band to Buggy.

"What?" Buggy questioned. "You…you're going to give it to me, even though you know what it is now?"

"Yeah!" Luffy answered. "We made a deal and all! Blizzard and I just care about getting Ace outta here!"

Blizzard looked back and saw two Blugori jumped up and chase after them.

_Oh, damn!_ he cursed in his head.

"B-but…" Buggy stammered, "if you give me the band now, I might leave you and the mutt to fend for yourselves!"

"Well, yeah," Luffy began, "but you said you'd take me to Ace!"

_Can't you see he's not really making any promises?_ Blizzard thought in disbelief. _Seriously, are you _that_ gullible?_

Buggy suddenly turned, a waterfall of tears falling from his eyes.

_Don't look at me, that way!_ he thought. _I'm a good-for-nothing bastard! People like you shouldn't trust the likes of me!_

He took the arm band from Luffy's grasp.

_At long last…it's mine! The treasure marker of Captain John that I've been searching for! Thank you…Straw Hat!_

He then dropped his tearful visage and grinned.

_Now to ditch these two fools!_

Before the clown pirate could do just that, **KRASH!** He crashed backwards into a wall because he wasn't looking he was going.

_Serves you right!_ Blizzard thought.

"Hey!" said Luffy. "Is that some kind of a shortcut? Lemme try!"

"NO! WAIT!" Buggy protested.

**SMASH!** Luffy smashed Buggy right through the wall with Blizzard following right behind them, and they ended up right into a room full of guards.

"Who are they?"

"It's him! The escaped prisoner, Buggy the Clown!"

"But who's the boy and the wolf?"

_The guards!_ Buggy thought. _Then that means…!_

"STRAW HAT! STOP!" cried Buggy. "DON'T GO ANY FURTHER~!"

"What? Why?" Luffy asked.

**KRASH!** He soon got his answer when he pushed Buggy through another wall, and on the other side, they found a huge crimson forest.

"**Monitoring room! There ARE three of them! They just…"**

"What is this place?" Luffy asked as he, Blizzard, and Buggy fell.

_A forest in a prison?_ thought Blizzard, questioningly.

"Why are the trees all red?" Luffy asked. "And why are there are people down there?"

"They're all prisoners!" answered Buggy. "And this is no ordinary forest! The leaves on the trees are all like knives! And that's Spike Needle Grass below them! The jailers released poisonous spiders down there! The victims get cut up so bad, the whole place is stained red with their blood! WELCOME TO THE LEVEL 1 OF IMPEL DOWN: THE CRIMSON HELL!"

Luffy and Blizzard both swallowed the lumps in their throats. They felt their stomachs turning with nausea and distress at the gruesome sight that laid before their eyes as their ears burned from the cries of agony from the prisoners.

They could see now why this place was called a true Living Hell.

"I sure hope is gonna be okay," Luffy mumbled.

_I'm sure he's fine,_ Blizzard thought, _but right now- and I really hate to say it- we've got other things to worry about! OURSELVES! …ugh…I sound like Usopp!_

"Right, then!" Buggy said. "It looks like we've got no choice but to go straight down!"

"Are you outta your mind?" Luffy said. "We'll be cut to shreds!"

"You forget that I can't be cut!" Buggy retorted. "Now you and that mutt shut up and hang on! Throw my feet to the ground!"

"What?"

"Just do it!"

"Okay."

**WOOSH!** Luffy threw Buggy's feet down at the needle grass, and instead of them getting cut, they just got split up.

**SHF-SHF-SHF-SHF-SHF!** Buggy's feet began to run along the grass. Buggy soon came through the forest with Luffy and Blizzard on his back.

"As long as my feet are on the ground," Buggy began, "this is easy!"

"Now what?" Luffy questioned.

"You need to find the stairway that leads to the floor below this one! You don't even need a key to open the gates! Oh! I just remembered! There's a way out! An easy exit for the prisoners to get out of the Crimson Hell!"

"An exit?" Luffy repeated.

_Never thought there'd be an exit from Hell,_ thought Blizzard.

Buggy soon brought Luffy and Blizzard to a hole in the middle of the spikes.

"Here we are!" he exclaimed. "But none of these fools would even think to use it because it leads to Level 2, and Level 2 is an even more terrible Hell than this one!"

Luffy and Blizzard looked down into the darkness of the hole.

"It's like there's no bottom!" Luffy said.

_Just like your stomach,_ Blizzard thought, jokingly. _Oh-ho, Blizzard, where do you come up with them?_

"People want to escape from Hell!" Buggy said. "There's no one fool enough to jump into it on purpose!"

"This is perfect!" Luffy exclaimed. "Blizzard and I just have to jump right in, am I right?"

"Well, yeah," Buggy replied, "but at the bottom is…"

"Here we go!" Luffy said. "C'mon, Blizzard!"

**RUFF!** Blizzard barked in agreement.

**WHUP!** The two Straw Hats jumped down into the hole.

"H-hey! Wait!" Buggy called after them.

Luffy and Blizzard were now too far down to hear.

"It sure is deep," Luffy said as he and Blizzard were diving. "I wonder what's at the bottom."

_If there is a bottom,_ Blizzard thought.

"That impulsive idiot," said Buggy. "Isn't he afraid of anything!" He chuckled evilly as he held up the arm band. "Still, at least now, I can run away and be rid of that bastard! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! I ditched him! And the treasure marker of Captain John is finally mine! I'm not dumb enough to take you and that mutt all the way down, Straw Hat! You two can go ahead and go down to Level 3 or 4 and run to your deaths like lemmings! HAHAHAHAHA!"

**SHWUK!** From behind Buggy, and axe appeared and sliced his head off (not killing him, of course). Looking back, he saw that it was one of the Blugori.

"DAMN BLUGORI!" Buggy cursed. "YOU CAN'T CUT ME, YOU FOOL! I'M A CHOP-CHOP MAN!"

However, Buggy didn't realize that his body was slipping into the hole…straight to Level 2.

"Uh-oh…" mumbled Buggy.

XXX

Up in the monitoring room, one of the staff was speaking into a Mini Transponder Snail.

"All three have fallen into Level 2."

"**Please confirm!"**

XXX

**GRAAAAARR!**

**RAARGH!**

**GRAAAAAAAHHH!**

This was Level 2 of Impel Down: the Beast Hell.

The halls were filled with the angry roars of countless creatures, and the air smell foul with their breath.

"What's up with the monsters?"

"They're acting angrier than usual!"

"Is it time for them to eat or something?"

"Who cares?"

Inside one of the cells, a prisoner sat on a bench, awaiting his fate. However, he was no ordinary prisoner.

He was former Baroque Works agent: Mr. 3.

"I'm too weak to even be scared," said Mr. 3. "It doesn't matter what's gotten these mindless beasts riled up. We'll all end up in their stomachs, anyway!"

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

* * *

><p>Review, please!<p> 


	5. Warden Magellan and Sea Knight Jimbei

**Ch. 5- Enter: Warden Magellan and "Sea Knight" Jimbei**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>"WAAAAAAAAAAH! I JUST GOT THROUGH BREAKING OUT OF PRISON, AND YET HERE I AM, FOLLOWING SOME IDIOT BOY AND HIS MUTT TO ANOTHER HELL~!"<p>

Luffy, Blizzard, and an unwilling Buggy fell down, down, down towards the second level of Impel Down: the so-called "Beast Hell".

**THOMP!** They all landed with a resounding crash.

"Ow…!" Buggy seethed, his disembodied head afloat in the air. Taking a look around, he saw the same brick walls and corridors that had been seen in the Crimson Hell, but all around, he could hear the growls and roars of different beasts. "This place gives me the creeps." He grumbled before he smirked and turned to his headless body, which the treasure marker that was once on Luffy's arm. "But still, at least I finally have this! With this, I can finally find Captain John's loot! And now, to find my way out of this-"

**WHAP! WROING!** A rubbery hand grabbed Buggy by his ponytail and pulled him close to Luffy, who was running alongside Blizzard, and forcing Buggy's body to follow them.

"Okay, Buggy!" said Luffy. "Where do we go from here?"

"N-now, hold on!" Buggy cried in protest.

Luffy, Blizzard, and Buggy ran this way and that, up and down, all around, but they couldn't seem to find a way to the next level.

Instead, they just kept running into a dead end.

"Damn," Luffy cursed.

_Well, now what?_ Blizzard questioned in his head. _I've only heard of this place through rumors. I don't my way around here!_

Luffy looked around, taking in the beastly sounds of animalistic growling and roaring.

"So this is Level 2, huh?" Luffy asked.

**Plop!** Buggy's head went right back onto his body. He panted, trying to catch his breath.

"Yes, it is," the clown pirate answered. "This place is worse than the Crimson Hell! They call it the 'Beast Hell'! Damn you, Straw Hat! You and that mutt of yours had me running around like a flashy idiot! This forsaken place has all the beasts of Hell running rampant around here!"

"Beasts of Hell?" Luffy repeated.

_Damn it all,_ cursed Buggy in thought. _Well, until I get my chance to ditch these two, I guess I can use them for a while._

"Uh, hey, Buggy," Luffy said.

"What?" asked Buggy, irritably.

"Is that one of them?" Luffy asked as he pointed behind him. "Those beasts of Hell, that is?"

Buggy gasped and turned.

"Crap!" he cursed. "They found us, already!"

**Grr…!** A low growl sounded off in the darkness of the corridor. It grew louder and louder as its owner drew near.

Blizzard stepped forward, unafraid, prepared to face one of these so-called 'beasts of Hell', while Luffy and Buggy stood behind them, the latter appearing more nervous.

However, as the creatures stepped out of the shadows, the trio soon saw, to their confusion that it was a cute, little hippo.

"It's a hippo," said Luffy.

"Uh…yeah, it is," Buggy agreed.

_Are you kidding me?_ Blizzard thought.

"It's smaller than a regular hippo," said Luffy. "Is this one of those 'beasts of Hell'?"

Buggy chuckled and said, "Well, isn't this a little bluff? I honestly that the beasts of Hell would be more-"

**CHOMP!** It appeared that Buggy spoke too soon, for the little hippo's mouth suddenly grew huge and ate his torso, leaving only his head and legs!

"DAH!" Buggy cried. "RUN, STRAW HAT!"

Luffy and Blizzard soon went running after Buggy as the hippo charged them, right through a wall. **SMASH!** It soon turned around and ran after them, and at an incredible speed, to boot!

"Wow!" Luffy said. "That little hippo sure is fast!"

_Yeah,_ agreed Blizzard in thought. _I gotta admit, I'm impressed! He runs almost as fast as I do, and that's something!_

"Don't go admiring it!" barked Buggy. "Quick! Turn left!"

The three did just that, and the hippo went crashing through another wall as they did.

"Ha-ha-ha!" Buggy laughed. "Dumb, flashy hippo! Since he can't turn, all he can do is just crash into walls!"

_Why do I have a feeling that that's not the case?_ Blizzard thought.

**KRASH!** The hippo broke through the wall before them and came lunging toward the trio, who were forced to turn tail and run from it again as it bit out a huge chunk of the floor and resumed the chase.

"So, you're just fine with getting your body eaten like that?" questioned Luffy.

"Oh, you'll see!" Buggy said with a grin. "After all, I am a Chop-Chop man!"

Inside the hippo's mouth, it was revealed that Buggy's hands seemed to be searching for something. That something happened to be the hippo's…uvula.

**GRAB!** Buggy's hands grabbed the hippo's uvula, causing it to gag and trip. As it was rolling forward, Luffy, Blizzard, and Buggy jumped out of its way before **CRASH!** It went crashing into another wall, this time going into unconsciousness and freeing Buggy's body, which reassembled.

"How'd you do that?" Luffy asked.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Buggy cackled. "Even if my body ends up getting chopped into bits, I can move them any way I please! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! That'll teach ya, you dumb flashy hippo!"

_BALL!_

**CHOMP!** Blizzard jumped up and bit Buggy's nose, again.

"AAAAAAAAH!" Buggy yelled. "NOT AGAIN! CONTROL YOUR DAMN DOG, STRAW HAT!"

"Dammit, Blizzard, not again!" Luffy exclaimed as he grabbed his dog and tried to pull him off. "C'mon! Stop it! Let go!"

While Luffy tried to pry his canine comrade off of his "former" nemesis' face, none of them realized that they were being watched, for up on the wall, a Surveillance Transponder Snail had seen the whole event that had transpired.

XXX

In the monitoring room, the staff were watching Buggy through one of the surveillance screens. They could see Buggy, but they couldn't make out the two figures that were with him.

However, they did seem to recognize them.

"Those two with Buggy," said one of the staff. "Who are they?"

XXX

A moment later, after Luffy had gotten Blizzard off of Buggy's face (and retrieving the latter's severed nose for him), the trio continued running through the corridors of Level 2.

_Isn't there any other way I can just get out of here and ditch these fools?_ Buggy thought.

Suddenly, **BZZZZZZ!** Buggy heard the sound of buzzing, and it sounded like it was coming from up above. The clown pirate stopped to look up, but saw nothing.

"What's wrong, Buggy?" Luffy asked as he and Blizzard braked to a stop.

"I thought I heard something," Buggy said, "then again…maybe not."

"Maybe it was a bat," Luffy said as he looked around.

**Sniff! Sniff!** Blizzard's nose suddenly twitched. He smelled…mantis…and steel.

**SLASH-SLASH-SLASH!** Something suddenly chopped Buggy up into parts.

"DAAAAAAAAAHH!" Buggy cried. "CHOP-CHOP QUICK ESCAPE!"

Buggy and his chopped-up body flew away and reassembled behind Luffy and Blizzard, who turned and saw that his attacker was a giant praying mantis the size of a full-grown man, dressed like one of the staff with scythes for hands!

"A Monster Mantis!" exclaimed Buggy.

"You're right," Luffy said. "It's way too big to be a regular mantis! I remember seeing one like this before!"

**SLASH-SLASH!** The Monster Mantis struck again, unable to cut Luffy or Blizzard, who jumped out of its way in the nick of time, but was able to chop up Buggy once more.

"Wow!" said Luffy. "This bug cuts almost as good as Zoro!"

_Yeah! Now this is a REAL monster of Hell!_ Blizzard thought, equally as impressed.

"HOW CAN YOU BE SO IMPRESSED?" Buggy questioned. "If I keep getting myself cut up like this, I'll be in big trouble!"

**TMP!** The trio landed behind the Monster Mantis.

"You sure are a hell of a fighter!" Luffy complimented. "You should meet my friend Zoro, some time!"

"Honestly," Buggy sighed in disbelief, "how can you be so relaxed?"

**SLISH! SLASH! SLASH-SLASH! SLISH! SLASH!** The Monster Mantis began to swing its scythes, all around, the resulting slashes able to cut up the brick walls!

**Clap-clap-clap!** Luffy, Blizzard, and Buggy clapped their hands (paws in Blizzard's case), but then, **SHUNK!** The mantis' blades were thrown into the floor…and they appeared to be stuck.

"Uh," Luffy muttered as he watched the Monster Mantis struggle to free his blades. "Looks like it's stuck."

"Yeah," Buggy agreed.

_Looks like it,_ Blizzard thought.

"Well, now what?" Luffy asked.

"Hmm," Buggy thought. "Maybe we should just leave it there."

"Okay," said Luffy.

_Sounds good to me,_ Blizzard thought.

With that, the trio walked by the Monster Mantis, which still tried to free its scythes from the floor.

"Are you sure these are supposed to beasts of Hell?" questioned Luffy in doubt. "They're not THAT big a deal, if you ask me."

_Yeah, this entire place is a joke,_ Blizzard thought.

"Level 1 was a lot more terrifying than this place!" Buggy added. "Then again, if you think about, beasts of Hell can only be found in-"

**BRUCKAAAAAAAAAWW!** A huge roaring sound was heard, and it was so huge, that it created a wind that was strong to blow the Monster Mantis away!

As the wind died down, Luffy, Blizzard, and Buggy soon stood.

"What the hell was that?" Luffy asked.

Buggy looked up, but then he gasped and froze in place.

"What's the matter?" Luffy asked before he and Blizzard looked up to see what Buggy was seeing, and what they saw was a humungous bird-like creature. It looked like a giant rooster…with a reptilian face, rows of sharp teeth, and a forked tongue like a serpent.

**BRUCKAAAAAAAAWW~!** The beast roared, again.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Luffy and Buggy screamed. "A MONSTER~!"

_IT'S A REAL BEAST OF HELL~!_ Blizzard thought.

Up on the wall, the trio didn't notice that they were being watched by another Surveillance Transponder Snail.

XXX

Up in the monitoring room, the staff were getting a second look at the Straw Hats on screen.

"Huh!" one gasped. "Those two! They're…!"

XXX

"RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!"

Luffy, Blizzard, and Buggy ran as fast as their legs could carry them, trying to get away from the huge, snake-like chicken beast.

"Damn it all!" Buggy cursed. "The rumors were true, all along! We're gonna get ourselves eaten alive, this time! That's why I was trying to get out of his hellhole without you, because I didn't want to be dragged down here to Level 2 with you and that mutt!"

"Huh?" Luffy asked. "What'd you say, Buggy? What the hell is that thing?"

"It's the most rare kind of hybrid monster!" Buggy answered. "A snake born from the egg of a chicken- the Basilisk!"

Indeed it was. The Basilisk, a mutant beast born from the crossbreeding of a snake with a chicken. It guards the corridors of Level 2, but it is only the second-feared beast in this whole prison.

On Level 2, there was an even more fierce creature.

_Basilisk?_ Blizzard repeated in thought. _That thing looks more like a cockatrice!_

"So, wait!" Luffy said. "That thing's mom is a chicken?"

"Yes!" Buggy answered. "But that chick is a MONSTER!"

_This is one messed-up world we live in!_ thought Blizzard.

**CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP!** The Basilisk continued to give chase, pushing itself through the corridors and biting at the trio. While Luffy and Blizzard dodged every chomp, Buggy just split himself apart to keep from getting eaten. As they turned a corner, Luffy skid to a stop and turned to face the beastly bird.

"That's it!" Luffy said. "I don't have time to deal with this chicken-snake thing!"

"Are you out of your mind?" Buggy questioned. "You'll get your ass kicked!" He then turned and grinned to himself. "But then again, I could use this as a chance to escape!"

_You're kidding, right?_ Blizzard thought.

"Well, so long, Straw Hat!" Buggy said. "You and the mutt can take it from here!"

With that, Buggy soon turned to leave Luffy and Blizzard to face the Basilisk alone.

But then…

"Gear…THIRD!"

Buggy turned upon hearing that cry, and saw Luffy with an enlarged fist.

"WHAT THE…?"

XXX

In a guard room in Level 2, one of the staff had been contacted via Mini Transponder Snail.

"**Jailers on Level 2! We've identified the boy and his dog that are with Buggy the Clown! They are 'Straw Hat' Luffy and 'Demon Dog' Blizzard!"**

"What?"

"You mean…THAT 'Straw Hat' Luffy?"

"And 'Demon Dog', too?"

"In Impel Down? But why?"

"**It doesn't matter why! Capture those pirates at all costs! Dead or alive!"**

"Right! Let's go, men!"

With that, the staff prepared to head out and capture, Luffy, Blizzard, and Buggy, when all of a sudden…

"Gum-Gum…GIANT PISTOL!"

**KRASH!** The Basilisk came crashing through the guard room, knocking out most, if not all the guards in the room.

XXX

Meanwhile, with Hancock, Salome, Momonga, Hannyabal, and Domino, they were still in the elevator, escorting the Warlord to the warden, Magellan.

As there decent began to slow down, Hancock began to notice that the temperature was rising.

"It's getting quite hot," said Hancock.

"Yes," said Domino. "As Vice Admiral Hannyabal had said before, the Warden's office is one Level 4, the Inferno Hell. As its name implies, everything there except his office is like real inferno."

The elevator stopped.

"We've arrived," said Domino.

With that, the group exited from the elevator.

"So where's the Warden?" Momonga asked.

"Warden Magellan has terrible issues with his digestive system," Domino explained, "so most of the time, he stays in a restroom for 10 hours, daily. Not just that, but he needs 8 hours of sleep, and then he has mealtimes and breaks, therefore he only works four hours a day."

"Is it enough for a warden such as him?" Hancock questioned.

"He can be productive when need-be," Domino said.

**FLOOSH!**

"Oh!" Domino said. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Here he comes now. One more thing, though. I forgot to tell you that Warden Magellan has eaten a Devil Fruit: the Venom-Venom. Everything about him makes him poisonous."

"Poisonous?" Hancock repeated.

"Yes," Domino answered. "Please, be careful when you're around him."

Hancock turned and saw some of the staff present her, Salome, Domino, and Momonga some gas masks.

The door to the restroom suddenly opened, and a large, shadowy figure came staggering out.

"Good work, chief!"

"Well done, sir!"

"Ah…once again, it was another tough battle."

The man that came out of the restroom was incredibly large in stature, about three times the height of a normal human being. He had a face that resembled a mandrill, with sharp teeth and a thick beard. His fingers closely resembled those of the Blugori.

Upon his back were bat-like wings, like Hannyabal's, and horn-like head ornaments. He wore a black suit with a red shirt underneath. The suit featured more buttons than those of the staff. Draped over his right shoulder was a piece of rope, and upon his crown was a standard cap of the Impel Down workers.

He is the warden of Impel Down, Magellan.

"Oh," said Magellan. "We have guests. Welcome to Impel Down. I am Warden Magellan." He suddenly flinched, shielding his eyes. "Ah! It's so bright! Why is that? I want to be sealed away in a dark room, and, if possible, I'd like my heart to be sealed, too!"

"Stop being ridiculous!" said Hannyabal. "Warden Magellan, Marine Vice-Admiral Momonga and Warlord Boa Hancock are here to see you!"

"We're in a bit of a hurry, Warden Magellan," said Momonga.

"My apologies," Magellan said. "You see, I've got me a pretty bad case of the runs. The poison soup I had for breakfast this morning seems to be disagreeing with me-"

"Well, what'd you expect?" Hannyabal questioned. "It's poison!"

"I'm a poison man, after all," said Magellan. "Therefore, I love poisons! You know what they say: 'Fight poison with poison'!"

"It's just an expression!" Hannyabal corrected. "You shouldn't take it literally! No wonder you have diarrhea!"

"You have a rather _venomous_ tongue on you, Hannyabal," Magellan said.

"Oh, hurry up and retire so that I can become Warden, already," said Hannyabal. "Whoop! Slip of the tongue! Sorry! What I meant to say was. 'Take these two to 'Fire Fist' Ace and-"

"That was a terrible mistake you made, Hannyabal!" Magellan exclaimed. "I can't believe I have such a heartless colleague such as you!" He heaved a sigh, but as he did, he unwittingly let out a purple mist from his mouth.

"Gas masks," said Domino.

Hancock, Salome, Domino, and Momonga put on their gas masks to filter out the poisonous mist, but Hannyabal was most unfortunate to accidentally breathe it in.

"GAH!" Hannyabal gasped. "Be careful when you breathe! Your breath is poisonous!"

Magellan just let out a hissing laugh.

"Oh, of course!" Hannyabal said. "It's always funny to you!"

"Serves you right," Magellan started, "stupid Vice Warden."

"Even his WORDS are venomous!" Hannyabal exclaimed, angrily.

He wasn't the only one who was angry.

**BAM!** Magellan was soon kicked down to the floor and was pinned by Hancock, who gave him his "Extreme-Looking-Down" Pose.

"How DARE you expose me to your toxins?" she barked. "Just WHO do you think you are?"

"Oh!" Magellan gasped. "What a lovely woman! I'm in love!"

"Oh, he's SO lucky…" Magellan grumbled as he sit at a golden desk and in a chair that was too big for him.

"Vice Warden," Domino said. "That's the Warden's seat."

"It'll be mine in time," Hannyabal remarked.

"Can we please hurry this along?" questioned an irritable Momonga.

**BELLIP-BELLIP-BELLIP!** The Transponder Snail (which was also wearing a little mask) began to ring, and Hannyabal picked it up.

"This is the Warden's office," he said.

"What do you think you're doing answering my calls?" Magellan questioned before he breathed out poisonous gas, again.

"DAH!" Magellan gasped. "Not again! Damn it all!" **FWUMP!** He fell forward on the desk. "I wanted…to be…the warden…!"

"Give Vice Warden an antidote!" Domino ordered one of the staff.

"Yes, ma'am!"

"What's that?" Magellan asked to the person on the other line. "Some kid and a wolf broke into Impel Down?"

"That's impossible!" Domino exclaimed as she administered the antidote into Hannyabal. "No one has ever been fool enough to break INTO the prison in all its history!"

"This is a grave error!" Hannyabal declared. "And it's your fault, Warden!"

_Oh, no!_ Hancock thought. _Were they discovered?_

"Transfer their images to me, right away!" Magellan demanded.

"Oh, Warden," said Hancock in a cute, feminine voice, putting on the most innocent face. "Could you please take us to see the prisoner, now?"

"Of course~!" Magellan replied with hearts in his eyes. "I'll take you down there, right away!"

"W-wait, Warden!" Hannyabal called. "Don't you realize how serious the situation that we're in is?"

XXX

In the monitoring room, there was an alarm going off, and the staff was in uproar.

"What's going on? We've lost contact with Warden Magellan!"

"Hurry and report this to the guard room of each floor and to Marine HQ! I don't what they're doing or what they're up to, but the man and the wolf that Buggy the Clown is with on Level 2 are definitely the two pirates, 'Straw Hat' Luffy and 'White Wolf' Blizzard!"

"What's going on in the guard room on Level 2? We can't reach them!"

"WHAT? What the hell's going on?"

XXX

In the guard room on Level 2...or rather, what's left of it, unconscious guards lay scattered around the floor, as well as the defeated Basilisk.

Buggy stared in disbelief at what he had just witnessed, while a shrunken Luffy smiled triumphantly.

"I did it!" said Luffy.

"What the hell just happened?" Buggy questioned. "Your fist grew huge…and why did you shrink?"

"That's my Gear Third technique," Luffy answered. "I actually manage to beat this snake-chicken thing!"

**FWOOMP!** He grew back to regular size.

"Oh! I'm back to normal!" Luffy said. "Okay, Buggy, now take me and Blizzard to Level 3!"

"A savior has been sent to us from Heaven!"

"He defeated the Basilisk!"

The trio turned to face the prisoners that were locked in their cells.

"You did it!"

"You guys were incredible!"

"And you completely devastated the guard room!"

"I don't know who you are, but thank you so much!"

"Now, hurry! Get the keys to our cells and shackles!"

"There! On the floor!"

Buggy and Luffy turned to see a key ring with six keys.

"We don't have time for this!" Luffy said. "We're in a big hurry!"

Inside one of the cells, Mr. 3 spotted Luffy through the bars.

_Ha!_ he gasped in thought. _It's him! It's 'Straw Hat' Luffy! But what is he doing here? If he's outside…then he must be trying to escape!_ He smiled. _Yes! This is my chance! Maybe I can get him to help me get out of here! I have not been forsaken, yet!_

XXX

**CHAK!** Buggy, using his Chop-Chop Fruit powers, unlocked the cells, releasing the prisoners.

"Yes! We're free!"

"Freedom, at last!"

"WHOOPEE!"

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Buggy cackled. "You lot had better be grateful!"

"Yes, we are!"

"Thank you so much, Captain Buggy!"

"We'll never forget this, Captain Buggy!"

"You saved us, Captain Buggy!"

"That's right!" Buggy exclaimed. "Remember the name of your savior! Now go, and unlock the other cells! Free your fellow comrades! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

_I fell down here by accident,_ Buggy thought, _but if I let these prisoners out and have them cause a huge riot, then maybe I'll be able to slip out in all the confusion!_

**GRAB!** Buggy's plan seemed to short-lived, for Luffy grabbed and dragged him along and ran alongside Blizzard.

"You're wasting our time!" Luffy said. "Now hurry up and take me and Blizzard to Ace! Is there another hole around that leads to downstairs?"

"Let me go!" Buggy barked. "How the hell should I know the way to Level 3? This whole place is like a flashy maze!"

**GRAAAAAARRR!** A loud, powerful roar sounded off, so loud that it frightened the prisoners into running back into their cells.

"But you said you'd take us down to Level 4!" Luffy argued, ignoring the roar.

"I lied!" Buggy retorted. "I only wanted the treasure marker on your arm, so I lied to you to get it!"

"You lied?" Luffy growled.

_Well, what'd you expect?_ Blizzard thought. _He was your enemy long before I came along, right?_

"Anyway, what does it matter to you?" Buggy asked. "All these loose prisoners are about to riot and…" he noticed that the prisoners had ran back into their cells. "Huh? Hey! What's going on here? This was supposed to be your chance to escape and cause a big ruckus, right?"

"We suddenly got a cold splash of reality!" said one of the prisoners. "We changed our minds! There's no way we can leave this place as long as THOSE guys, as well as the boss of this floor is still lurking about!"

"Yeah! We're a lot safer in here!"

"Yeah!"

"That's right!"

Buggy sweat-dropped nervously before turning to Luffy.

"Uh, change of plans, Straw Hat," he said. "I'll go ahead and take you and the mutt to Level 3!"

"YOU SAID THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW, BIG NOSE!" Luffy barked.

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE CALLING 'BIG NOSE'?" spat Buggy.

_Oh, brother…_ Blizzard thought.

"Perhaps I could be of some assistance!"

The three turned to see Mr. 3 approached them.

"Huh?" Luffy muttered.

"Who're you?" Buggy questioned.

Mr. 3 put his hands together and then separated them to form a bridge of wax between them.

"Long time, no see," he began, "eh, 'Straw Hat' Luffy? Ironic as it may seem, I'm free now, thanks to you, and I am a man who repays his debts!"

"Uh…who are you again?" Luffy asked.

"Ahem!" Mr. 3 cleared his throat and pointed to his hairstyle.

"Oh, wait!" said Luffy. "You're that waxy guy from the island of giants! You're Three!"

"It's MR. 3!" Mr. 3 corrected.

However, while the trio were talking, Blizzard's sensitive seemed to pick up another unfamiliar scent. Looking up, he gasped when he saw a large group of shadowy figures appear.

_Oh, crap…_ he thought.

XXX

Meanwhile, on the same level where Ace is being held prisoner, that same hulking figure from earlier had just entered Ace's cell. However, it appeared that Ace was going to have some company.

Another mysterious figure had been chained to the wall of his cell, and that strange creature that was armed with a mace had put him there.

"I'm not…" said a grisly voice. "I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE!"

**KRAK!** The hulking beast threw its mace down on the figure's head before it left the cell.

"Ah…I can't move. I can't even lift a finger."

"Looks like they've given you another good beating," Ace said, "eh, boss?"

"Don't be silly, Ace," said the figure. "These wounds are nothing! It's my heart that really hurts, because I'm not able to do what's right!"

It was revealed that Ace's company was a Fishman. A whale shark Fishman, to be more precise, with a face that was similar to that of a Japanese demon, like the Oni. His yellow eyebrows and sideburns are distinctly shaped like those found on such creatures, in addition to his bulb-like and an angular lower lip that pointed upwards. He has a lightning-bolt shaped scar that went from his left sideburn to over his left eye. He also possessed two tusk-like, conical lower fangs that protruded from his lower lip, another common feature of the Oni. The rest of his teeth were pretty much the same, albeit smaller. He also has a sever under bite, which makes room for his large fangs.

He had dual-toned, black with two gold stripes, coming from the roots over his forehead and trailing down the back, a topknot, and a beard.

Under his pale red coat, he wore a coral-colored traditional Japanese robe known as a jinbei with a black-and-white square pattern on it, and around his waist was a purple sash.

This is "Sea Knight" Jimbei, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, (or rather, an ex-Warlord), a whale shark Fishman, his former bounty being 250 million Berries.

"Jimbei," Ace muttered.

"I can't die," said Jimbei. "At least not yet, Ace! I don't care if I used to be one of the Seven Warlords! That title means nothing to me!" He hung his head. "But I'd gladly give up all I had, even my life…to stop this war!"

**TO BE CONTINUED**

* * *

><p>Wow! This one was LONG!<p>

Tomorrow, I'm gonna start on the Little East Blue filler arc!

Review, please!


	6. The Beast Hell

**Ch. 6- The Beast Hell**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>When we last left our heroes, Luffy, Blizzard, and Buggy had fallen into Level 2 of Impel Down: the Beast Hell. There, they encounter vicious animals, including the fierce Basilisk, but Luffy manages to defeat it in fell swing. They soon make another unlikely ally in the former Baroque Works agent, Mr. 3.<p>

In a monitoring room, the guards were trying to find the escaped prisoner, Buggy, as well as Luffy and Blizzard. Three of them were too busy playing a game of poker to care.

"To be honest," said one of them sitting at the table as he held his cards in his hands, "when I was assigned to this floor, I thought I was a dead man for sure, but it's surprisingly pretty peaceful here."

"It wouldn't be another way," said the other guard. "I mean, what kind of floor did you think it would be?"

The guard facing one of the screens turned to them and said, "This floor contains the world's worst villains with bounties of over 100 million Berries, or other infamous criminals, which is why security is so tight here. That's why here, in Impel Down, they call it Eternal Hell, because it's the worst floor for prisoners to be held on." He then smirked. "But still, the only chance they'll ever have for them to leave this place and feel the sunlight again is on the day of their execution."

"Death might be the easier than spending another second in this God-forsaken place," said the thick-lipped guard as he picked up another card.

"Yeah, you might be right there, pal."

They all laughed.

Just then, another guard entered.

"Hey," he said. "The Warden and Vice-Warden are on their way here with 'Pirate Empress' Boa Hancock."

"Boa Hancock?" repeated one of the guards. "Why would the Pirate Empress wanna see 'Fire Fist' Ace?"

"Yeah, he's the most dangerous prisoner in Impel Down," said the thick-lipped guard. "Well, maybe the entire world, now!" He picked up another card. "I sure as hell don't want any trouble" He gasped when he realized the card he picked up was the Joker.

"Speaking of dangerous men," said the guard facing the screen, "I heard there's another prisoner who was a Warlord, like Hancock, who went against Marine HQ, and he's a pretty dangerous man, himself. What's his name, again?"

"I'm pretty sure it was 'Jombay', or something."

"No, no, it's 'Jimbei'!"

"Oh, yeah! 'Sea Knight' Jimbei!"

XXX

**PLIP! PLUP!** Drops of blood fell from Jimbei's face as he sat against the wall beside Ace.

"To the World Government," he started, "I am a pirate who hates pirates…but you, Ace…you and your people were different."

"A pirate hater?" Ace questioned. "You?"

"It seems strange that I met you, Ace," said Jimbei. "I had paid Whitebeard visits on his ship too many times to count, but because of my position, I had to be discreet, and do everything underwater. I really liked you people."

"Heh," Ace chuckled, half-heartedly. "Last I remember, you almost killed me, once.:

"And you almost killed me, Ace," Jimbei said. "All I wanted to do was help Whitebeard. The only reason that Fishman Island is at peace, right now, is because of that man. All pirates that sail the Grand Line must eventually pass Fishman Island. When the Great Pirate Era began, the island became like a war-zone! It had been overwhelmed with hordes of human pirates and the Marine forces that had been pursuing them! A great many of us Fishmen and Merfolk had been captured and sold off. Everyone was in great turmoil! But then…he, Whitebeard, came!"

_Flashback_

"This island," the mighty Whitebeard roared, "IS MY TURF, NOW!"

_Flashback end_

"I will never forget that fateful day," Jimbei said. "With those words, he ended the chaos on Fishman Island, forever! Now THAT, Ace, is power! Of course, you know that he protects many islands, as well. He may be a pirate captain, but it's wrong to try and take him out! The World Government must know what will happen if Whitebeard dies!"

**THUNK!** He banged the back of his head against the wall behind him.

"I wanted to stop this war, even if it killed me!" he exclaimed. "I also wanted to try and save you, Ace…"

"Just stop it, Jimbei," Ace said. "You're only making me feel worse."

"I have yet to give up hope, boy," Jimbei said. "I've always believed in things like…miracles and luck."

Ace just sat in silence.

"Heh-heh-heh-heh," a mysterious voice chuckled, evilly. "Looks like something interesting is happening in this this prison. Ha-ha-ha…! This could be big chance to finally take Whitebeard's head! How thrilling."

"Damn you," Jimbei growled.

"You wanna kill Pops?" Ace questioned.

"Oh, not just me, boy…"

All around, the cries of the other insane prisoners could be heard.

"MYAHAHAHA!"

"Kill the old fool!"

"Great! The old man's finally gonna kick the bucket!"

"Good riddance!"

"Lemme outta here! I'll kill him, myself!"

"I don't have any problem with that!"

"BWAHAHAHAHA!"

"The reign of Whitebeard ends with me!"

"SILENCE, YOU COWARDS!" Jimbei barked out.

"Remember this, Jimbei," said the mysterious figure. "And you, too, Fire Fist. There are plenty of second-rate pirates in this world who hate that they have no chance of defeating the likes of Whitebeard and Gold Roger. Why…they're everywhere. HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"You are one sick, twisted son of a bitch," Ace seethed.

"Maybe I am."

XXX

Back in the monitoring room, the staff saw just why the jailers on Level 2 had not yet responded.

They saw the destroyed room with the defeated Basilisk inside.

"The Basilisk demolished the place!"

"No wonder they didn't respond."

"So those three defeated the Basilisk? Where are they now? Just what the hell is happening on Level 2?"

XXX

Somewhere on Level 2, four familiar figures were seen running away, and they had been spotted by the Surveillance Transponder Snail.

XXX

"There they are!" said one of the guards in monitoring room.

"It's them!" said another.

"But wait…there's four of them, now!"

"What?"

XXX

Back on Level 2, it is revealed that Luffy, Blizzard, Buggy, and Mr. 3 were being chased by a pack of lion-like creatures with human faces, a giant centipede, the Monster Mantis, and the little hippo from before.

"It seems the beasts of Level 2 are after us!" exclaimed Mr. 3.

_Tell us something we don't know!_ Blizzard thought.

"We can't keep running from these freaks forever!" Luffy said.

"He's right!" Buggy said. "For once. The moment we stop running, we'll be on the menu! And while we're running our asses off, the jailers from other floors of this place are preparing to catch us, too!"

"I'm getting tired, already!" stated Mr. 3.

Luffy then braked to a halt to face the beasts.

"Dammit," he cursed. "I don't have time for this! Gum-Gum…"

"Chop-Chop…" Buggy started as he held up his axe.

"Candle…" Mr. 3 started.

_Twister…_ Blizzard thought.

"PISTOL!'

"CANNON!"

"LOCK!"

_FANG!_

**POW!** Luffy's fist hit the giant centipede, which exploded and split into sections…and kept running!

**SLASH!** Buggy's axe blew away three lion creatures.

**KRINK!** Mr. 3's wax hardened on the forelegs of four other lions.

**SKISH!** Blizzard's Twister Fang attack hit the hippo and the Monster Mantis.

"That giant centipede just exploded!" Luffy exclaimed as he continued to run.

"That centipede was just a bunch of Puzzle Scorpions joined together!" Mr. 3 explained. "there is extremely poisonous!"

Just then, more lion beasts showed up.

"AH!" Mr. 3 screamed. "MORE OF THEM!"

The quartet ran this way and that way, here and there, almost everywhere, until finally, they seemed to have lost their pursuers.

The beasts had to stop to try and find which their prey had gone.

**TMP! TMP! TMP! TMP!** The sound of footsteps was heard, gaining the beasts' attention. It sounded like it was coming from their right, so they ran down the hallway to the right.

However, Luffy, Blizzard, Buggy, and Mr. 3 soon came out of hiding behind them.

"I can't believe that worked," said Luffy.

"Well, what did I tell you?" Buggy said. "They're brainless animals! All I had to get them off our tail was to fool them with my footsteps trick!"

Further down the hall, it was revealed that Buggy's severed feet were making the footsteps to fool the monsters into believing that they had gone down through there.

"HAHAHAHAHA!" Buggy laughed. "The fools!"

**BAP!** Buggy soon found his feet thrown back at him, right into his nose.

"Ouch!" he said.

"Uh…guys?" Luffy said.

"What?" asked Buggy and Mr. 3.

XXX

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!"

The quartet was running away, once again, from the beasts, which were more enraged than before.

"Dammit all!" Buggy cursed. "Hey, by the way! I heard that the boss of Level 2 is some kind of lion! Are those things chasing us the ones?"

"No, but you're close!" answered Mr. 3 answered. "Those are man-eating lions with the faces of men! They're called Manticores! Let them catch you, and they'll eat you until only your bones are left!"

"Are you serious?" Buggy cried.

"The key!"

"Gimme the key!"

"Huh?" muttered Buggy.

_Were those things just talking?_ Blizzard thought.

"Just ignore them!" Mr. 3 exclaimed. "They have human vocal cords, so they can imitate our speech!"

"Help me!" cried one Manticore.

"The agony!" cried another.

_They're in pain?_ Blizzard thought. _Wait, what the hell am I saying? Of course they're not!_

"They're just saying words they've heard the prisoners say!" said Mr. 3. "They didn't even know what they mean!"

"That's real creepy!" said Luffy.

_Tell me about it!_ Blizzard thought.

"Loincloth! Loincloth!" chanted another Manticore.

"Strawberry panties!" exclaimed another.

"They've basically learned a lot of nonsense!" Buggy shouted.

"Beef steak!" said another Manticore.

"Beef steak?" Luffy repeated, mouth watering. "Where?"

"DON'T LISTEN TO THEM!" Buggy snapped, smacking him over the head. "JUST RUN!"

"Peanut butter!" said another Manticore.

_Where?_ Blizzard thought. _Wait a minute…oh, great! Now Luffy's got me doing it!_

"Hey, you!" Luffy said to Mr. 3. "Didn't you say that you'd help us?"

"Oh, yes!" Mr. 3 replied. "Of course! Let's combine our forces and escape together!"

"Actually," Luffy began, "Blizzard and I really need to get down to Level 3!"

"What?" Mr. 3 questioned. "You mean you're not trying to escape? I thought you were heading to Level 1!"

"Wrong!" Buggy said as he ran backwards to face Mr. 3. "Straw Hat and that mutt broke in here so that they could help Straw Hat's brother, Ace, escape!"

"Ace, you say?" Mr. 3 repeated. "As in 'Fire Fist' Ace? I didn't know he was Straw Hat's brother! He and that dog are here to free him?"

"Yeah, we are!" Luffy answered. "And we don't have time, either!"

_If Ace is here,_ Mr. 3 thought, _then he's more than likely being held up in Level 5! That fool and his dog want to go there?_

"NO!" Mr. 3 shouted. "I DON'T WANT TO GO~! YOU'RE CRAZY!"

He prepared to go up a flight of stares, but Luffy grabbed him before he could get away.

"Hang on!" Luffy cried. "At least tell how to get to the stairs that go down!"

_The stairs that go down?_ Mr. 3 thought. _Yes! Of course! That staircase goes from Level 1 to Level 3! I can use Straw Hat and his dog as bait to lure the monster guarding the stairs away so that I can get out!_

He then turned to Luffy and said, "Come, Straw Hat! I'll help you!"

"NOW YOU WANNA HELP HIM?" Buggy questioned.

_First you're trying running away, and now you wanna help?_ Blizzard thought. _Man! Make up your mind!_

With that, the four ran down a flight of stairs.

"Hurry, Straw Hat!" Mr. 3 said. "Follow me! This way- OOF!"

**FWUMP!** He bumped into…something.

Luffy, Blizzard, and Buggy looked up and saw a humungous creature. It was a dark grey…with a long tail that had a brush of lighter gray hair on it, and surrounding its forelegs and shoulders were light-pinkish feathers, and around its man-like face was a long, light gray mane.

_What the hell?_ Blizzard questioned in thought.

"Well…" Buggy whimpered. "Would you look at that?"

"A lion?" Luffy repeated. "No, wait. An old man?"

Mr. 3 was too frightened to even speak or think. However, he quickly found his voice.

"It's him…" Mr. 3 gasped. "The guardian of the stairs and the boss of this entire Level, the Sphinx!"

At that moment, the Sphinx turned to look at the quartet, just when the Manticores and Puzzle Scorpions arrived. However, the moment they saw the Sphinx look down at them, they immediately became fearful, and fled.

"Omelet rice!"

"Steak!"

"Peanut butter!"

"Strawberry panties!"

"Underwear!"

The Sphinx then closed his eyes, and the four before him stood in anticipation, wondering what he was about to do next.

After what felt like an hour of silence…the Sphinx spoke.

"Somen…" he said.

"Somen?" Luffy, Buggy, and Mr. 3 repeated.

_Somen noodles?_ Blizzard repeated.

**GRAAAAR!** The Sphinx roared as he raised his paw.

"Ramen!" he exclaimed.

**THWAM!** He slammed his paw down at the quartet, forcing them to turn and run.

"Tanmen!"

**BAM!** The Sphinx slammed his paw at Luffy and Blizzard, who got out of his way just in time.

"The only words he's ever heard are words for noodles!" Buggy and Mr. 3 cried.

"Barbecue pork noodles!"

**SLAM!** The Sphinx slammed his paws down at the Mr. 3 and Buggy.

"Spicy Szechuan noodles!"

**WHAM!** He then threw his paws at Luffy and Blizzard, again, but they dodged his strike, once more. However, Blizzard slipped as he ran, and two things accidentally flew off of the wolf-dog's ankles: the gold anklets Marguerite gave him before he left.

_Oh, no!_ Blizzard thought. _Marguerite's anklets!_ He got up and tried to run to them, but then…

"Macaroni!"

_What?_ Blizzard thought in disbelief. _Oh, come on! Macaroni isn't even a real noodle! It's a pasta- WHOA!_

**SMASH!** The Sphinx slammed his paw at Blizzard, who jumped in the nick of time. However, in doing so, he had abandoned the anklets, and when the Sphinx raised his paw, Blizzard saw, to his horror, that the precious accessories had been crushed.

_Oh, no!_ Blizzard thought. _I promised Marguerite I wouldn't lose those! How am I gonna tell her when we get back to Amazon Lily?_

"BLIZZARD, LOOK OUT!"

"Al dente!"

Blizzard looked up and saw that the Sphinx was about to throw his paw down on him, but Luffy quickly dove in, grabbed his dog, and rolled out of the way, just before it could hit.

"You gotta stay more alert, buddy!" said Luffy.

Blizzard whimpered and showed Luffy his paws.

It was then that Luffy got the message.

"Oh, buddy, I'm sorry," he said. "And Marguerite gave those to you as a present, too."

"KEEP MOVING, STRAW HAT!" Buggy shouted.

Luffy looked up, only to jump away when the Sphinx threw his paw at him and Blizzard again.

"Amen!" he shouted.

"It's praying?" Buggy questioned.

**SMASH!** The Sphinx threw his paw at the quarter, once again.

"This is bad!" Luffy cried. "Real, real bad!"

XXX

Down below, in a prison cell, the prisoners could hear the noises of the Sphinx's thrashing.

"You hear that?"

"Yeah! The Sphinx is going nuts, up there!"

"I knew it! We're doomed! Whatever made us think we could ever leave this place?"

XXX

"Ground pork noodles! Hot-pot noodles! Canton noodles!"

**GRRRUUUUUUUUUMMMBLE!** Luffy's stomach started to roar.

"All this talk about noodles is making my tummy grumble," he said. "I really wanna eat some of Sanji's cooking, now. I haven't had it in a while!"

_You choose NOW to think about your stomach?_ Blizzard thought. _Look around! We're in trouble here!_

"Wonton noodles!" the Sphinx roared.

**RRRRUUUUUUUUMMMBLE!** Luffy's stomach growled, again. Apparently, it was loud enough to drown out the Sphinx's voice.

"WONTON NOODLES!" the Sphinx roared, once more.

It was at that moment that Luffy finally snapped to attention and jumped away to avoid another strike from the Sphinx's huge paws.

"Damn, he's strong!" said Luffy.

_You got that right,_ Blizzard thought.

**Tweak! Tweak!** His ears started to twitch, and he turned to see Buggy and Mr. 3, huddled up in a corner.

_What are those bozos up to now?_ the wolf-dog asked in thought.

"You know," Buggy whispered, "I don't really want to go down to the lower levels."

"I'm behind you all the way!" Mr. 3 whispered.

**WHAP!** They put their hands together in a handshake.

"All right, then," said Buggy. "It's a deal! We'll form an alliance and break outta this hellhole!"

"Partnership is grand," Mr. 3 said.

"Time for Operation: 'Straw Hat and mutt are Dinner'!" Buggy said.

"Excellent," Mr. 3 said.

_You've GOT to be kidding,_ Blizzard thought in disbelief. _I knew they were up to something._

"Hey!" Luffy called as he turned to Buggy and Mr. 3. "What are you two doing over there in the corner?"

_Uh-oh!_ Buggy and Mr. 3 thought.

"Miso ramen!"

**SMASH!** The Sphinx threw his paw down at Luffy and Blizzard, who jumped away at the last second. Luffy then leaped up, over the Sphinx's head.

"Gum-Gum…BAZOOKA!"

**POW!** Luffy's palms hit the Sphinx, right on top of his crown.

**GRRAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!** The Sphinx roared.

"ALL YOU DID WAS PISS HIM OFF, MORE!" Buggy and Mr. 3 cried.

_For Gold Roger's sake, Luffy!_ Blizzard thought.

"I'M OUTTA HERE!" Buggy shouted as he flew off to the safety of a nearby wall.

"Wait, traitor!" Mr. 3 called. "How dare you leave me here alone?"

The Sphinx then spotted the former Baroque Works agent below.

**GRRAAAAAAAAAR!** He roared.

"No! WAIT!" Mr. 3 cried.

**SMASH!** The Sphinx slammed his paw down on Mr. 3...who crumbled?

"Ha-ha-ha! You fell for it, you simple-minded beast!"

The Sphinx turned and saw the real Mr. 3 standing behind him.

"Boiled noodles," he said.

"That was a wax doll I created with my Wax-Wax powers!" Mr. 3 declared. "It's not as effective without Ms. Golden Week's painting, but it's more than enough to fool a dumb animal like you and the dog!"

_Hey!_ Blizzard thought.

**GLOOP! BLUP! BLUP!** Mr. 3 made more wax dolls of himself. Granted, they didn't have the same coloring, but it was enough to fool the Sphinx.

"Over here!" called one.

"No, here!" called another.

"Here I am!" called one more.

**WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!** The Sphinx kept smashing wax dolls, but there were so many, he didn't know which one was the real Mr. 3.

"Wow! That looks like fun!" Luffy commented. "It's like Whack-A-Mole!" He laughed and started pointing at random dolls for the Sphinx to hit. "Get that one!"

**SMASH!**

"Now that one!"

**SMASH!**

"Now that one over there!"

**SMASH!**

Blizzard couldn't help but snicker.

The Sphinx was acting more like a little kitten rather than a fierce beast.

_Looking at him now,_ Blizzard thought, _he's actually kinda cute!_

"There enjoying themselves more than I thought," Mr. 3 said as he hid behind a nearby support beam. "Now's my chance!"

With that, he turned and ran while Luffy and the Sphinx continued their little game.

XXX

Down below, the prisoners could hear the sound of the Sphinx's paws slamming the floor.

"What's with all this shaking?"

"The Sphinx is going crazy!"

XXX

Back up above, the room suddenly started to shake, too.

"Huh?" Luffy muttered.

_I don't think I like the sound of that,_ thought Blizzard, worryingly.

At the gate that was supposed to lead to the stairs, Mr. 3 and Buggy had made it.

"We did it, Mr. 3!" Buggy cheered. "Our plan worked!"

"You traitor!" Mr. 3 snapped. "That wasn't our plan! But even so, we're free!"

"There's the gate, right there!" said Buggy.

"Now, I just need to make a key out of wax," Mr. 3 started, "and we're-"

**KRASH!** The whole floor suddenly collapsed beneath their feet.

"**Hey! This is Level 3 there's a loud noise coming from up above! Level 2 won't respond!"**

It was revealed that because of the Sphinx slamming the floor so much, he caused it to crumble apart and for himself to fall through it, taking Luffy, Blizzard, Buggy, and Mr. 3 with him!

"WAAAAAH!" Luffy screamed. "YOU DUMB LION! YOU BROKE THE FLOOR!"

_**AROOOOOOOOOOOOO~!**_ Blizzard howled.

"NOT GOOD!" cried Mr. 3.

"WE'RE GOING TO LEVEL 3~!" Buggy yelled.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

* * *

><p>Sorry, I took so long with this one!<p>

Review, please!


	7. From One Hell to Another

**Ch. 7- From One Hell to Another**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>On Level 2, some of the guards had surrounded the hole that the Sphinx, as well as Luffy, Blizzard, Buggy, and Mr. 3 had fallen through.<p>

"Monitoring room, come in," said one of the guards, speaking into a Mini Transponder Snail. "We're at the site on Level 2! Can you bring up the image?"

"What happened here?" asked another guard. "This hole is so huge, the Sphinx could've fallen through it!"

"What are Straw Hat and White Wolf trying to do?" questioned a third guard.

Unbeknownst to the guards, a large group of shadowy figures were skulking towards them.

XXX

In the monitoring room, the staff were watching the screens and gasped.

The shadows that were creeping up behind the guards were the escaped inmates!

"We got trouble!"

"The prisoners of Level 2 have escaped!"

"But how'd they get the keys?"

"Is this more of Straw Hat and White Wolf's work? Those guards down there are in danger!"

XXX

One of the guards turned and gasped to see the horde of prisoners, their wrists and ankles free of their shackles.

"We owe you our respect and gratitude, O great Captain Buggy," said one.

"Our savior!" declared another.

"This is L-Level 2," said one of the guards, "requesting immediate backup! THE PRISONERS ARE RIOTING!"

That was all he could manage to say before the inmates jumped at them, planning to carry out their revenge on the hapless guards.

XXX

In the monitoring room, the other guards were prepared to go out to Level 2.

"Get the Blugori Level 2, as well!" ordered one.

"Hey!" one of the staff called. "I just found out why Straw Hat came here in the first place!"

"You did? How?"

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku at Marine HQ says that there's no doubt about it!" He looked to Luffy's wanted poster. "The intruder, Monkey D. Luffy, and the condemned prisoner, Portgas D. Ace…are brothers!"

"So that means that Straw Hat and White Wolf are trying to rescue Fire Fist before his execution! That has to be it!"

"So that must explain why they're going down from one Hell to another! We were too preoccupied with Whitebeard's impending attacks! If Straw Hat and White Wolf succeed, we could have a major disaster on our hands!"

"Hurry up and inform Warden Magellan of this! And someone, get those prisoners on Level 2 under control!"

XXX

At Marine HQ…

"BWAHAHAHAHAHA~!"

"And just WHAT is so funny, Garp?"

Monkey D. Garp was laughing his head off while eating rice crackers, once again, while Sengoku was scolding him.

"At such a critical time like this in the world's seas…!" Sengoku said. "What a crisis! First, Enies Lobby, then the attack on the Celestial Dragons, and now THIS! IT'S UNPRECEDENTED!" He sighed, trying to regain his composure. "Even if we take into account the escape of 'Golden Lion' Shiki, the flying pirates, that was still just 20 years ago! Out of hundreds of thousands of prisoners, no one else has ever been able to break in or out throughout its history! The Great Prison, Impel Down, has been impregnable for all these years!" He then turned and pointed an accusing finger at Garp, who was still laughing. "And one of the two first beings who would be foolish enough to actually break INTO it and ruin its reputation IS YOUR DAMNED GRANDSON, GARP!"

"I'm so proud of Luffy!" Garp said as he laughed.

"Bartholomew Kuma said that he had eradicated the Straw Hat Pirates at Sabaody," Sengoku growled. "That liar…!"

"Well, I'd never believe a Warlord's words to begin with," Garp said. "But I wonder how Straw Hat and White Wolf managed to get through the blockade surrounding the prison?"

**GRAB!** Sengoku clutched at Garp's coat and pulled him up to his face, but Garp was still guffawing.

"If it weren't for your title as the 'Hero of the Marines', Garp," the Fleet Admiral began, "I'd make you pay for the sins of your entire family!"

"BWAHAHAHAHA!" Garp laughed. "Are you kidding? This old geezer's life isn't worth NEARLY enough to pay for a disaster like this! BWAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA~!"

XXX

Down in Level 3, the unconscious Sphinx was lying on a sandy, desert-like floor with Luffy, Blizzard, Buggy, and Mr. 3 jumping around because it was so hot.

Well, Luffy, Buggy, and Mr. 3 were. Right now, Blizzard was just panting and sweating because of the heat, and the fact that he had a thick coat of fur didn't help matters.

_Damn, it's so freaking hot,_ Blizzard thought.

"Ah, man," said Luffy. "It's so freaking hot."

_I just said that,_ Blizzard thought.

"Why's it so quiet?" Luffy questioned.

"I can't believe it," said Buggy, sweating like a pig. "Level 3, of all places…how the devil did we end up down here?" He then turned to Luffy, furiously. "DAMN YOU, STRAW HAT! YOU'RE THE WHOLE REASON I'M IN THIS MESS!"

"The lion got knocked out," said Luffy, not paying attention.

"My Wax-Wax powers are useless in this heat," said Mr. 3 as he tried to make a little wax doll in his hand, only for it to melt.

Just then, something fell from above and became stuck in the floor. It looked like a dead bird, its body baked by intense heat.

"Ooh!" Luffy chirped. "A barbecue birdie!"

_Okay,_ thought Blizzard. _I'm NOT watching you eat that._

"A hummingbird from the upper floors must've wandered in here gotten itself baked by the heat," Mr. 3 explained.

"It's like an oven in here!" Luffy and Buggy barked.

"Look around, inside the cells," said Mr. 3.

Luffy, Blizzard, and Buggy looked around and saw the inmates inside, only…they all looked so emaciated and dehydrated.

_The hell…?_ Blizzard thought. _What's wrong with these guys?_

"Those men are now shells of their former selves," said Mr. 3. "All the inmates on this level…had bounties of at least 50 million Berries on their heads. Here, they torture the prisoners by restricting food and water, and to make matters worse, the heat is coming from the Inferno Hell, which is below us. All of them are close to death. This is Level 3, the Starvation Hell! We'd best get a move on…or else we'd end up like these wretches."

**Gulp!** Buggy swallowed the lump in his throat.

"You're right," said Buggy. "I don't wanna end up like these guys!"

"Right then," Luffy said, munching on the roasted hummingbird. "Let's get moving…to Level 4."

"HELL NO!" Buggy and Mr. 3 snapped.

"Why not?" Luffy asked. "I thought you guys you wanted to save Ace, too!"

"We said no such thing!" Mr. 3 remarked.

"You keep confusing what really happened with what you WANT to happen!" Buggy added.

_Thank you,_ Blizzard thought before his eyes went wide in realization. _Oh, my god…I'm agreeing with a couple of fools!_

Unknown to the quartet, a guard happened to be eying from around the corner.

"They're in range," he spoke into a Transponder Snail. "Pull the net!"

"**Roger that."**

"Fine then," said Luffy. "Blizzard and I will go by ourselves."

Suddenly, Blizzard's ears twitched, and out of the corner of his eye, he spotted what looked like ropes being pulled.

**RUFF!** Blizzard barked in warning, but it was too late.

**SWUP!** Luffy, Blizzard, Buggy, Mr. 3, and the Sphinx were pulled up in a huge net!

"AAAAAHH!" Luffy yelped.

"WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON?" Buggy questioned.

"WE'VE WALKED RIGHT INTO A TRAP!" Mr. 3 cried.

**CHOMP! CHOMP!** Luffy tried to bite through the ropes, but couldn't.

"Dammit!" Luffy cursed. "These ropes feel like they're made of iron!" He suddenly started going limp. "Ugh…I feel weak…"

"I knew it!" Buggy said. "This net is made of sea prism stone!"

"They'll torture us twice as hard for trying to escape!" Mr. 3 exclaimed. "That's it! The end of the line! We're done for!"

_Big deal!_ Blizzard thought as he bit through the ropes. _Sea prism stone doesn't bother me!_

Down below, the guards and jailers soon gathered, as well as the Blugori.

"**We've successfully capture Straw Hat, White Wolf, and the other two."**

"WHAT?" Buggy roared. "DO YOU NOT KNOW WHO I AM?"

"Give it a rest, Buggy," said Mr. 3. "It's over."

"LEMME OUTTA HERE!" Luffy barked.

"**Put the sea prism stone cuffs on them!"**

"**Roger that."**

**SNAP!** Blizzard managed to break free and fell to the ground. He faced the guards and jailers, growling and snarling. However, he was still quite weak from the heat. So much so, that he couldn't even lift a paw.

_Damn,_ Blizzard cursed in thought. _I forget, I'm useless in this heat!_

"Blizzard!" Luffy called as he kept biting the ropes. "Hang on! I'll be right there, buddy!"

"Don't bother."

At that sound of that voice, a newcomer entered center stage.

It was a little man with the appearance of that of a little devil or an imp in a white suit with a yellow shirt and black tie underneath. He also had a pair of yellow gloves. He wears a white sun hat with two horns coming out of it with a the Blugori insignia. Also, like Magellan and Hannyabal, he had wings protruding from his back.

He also didn't seem to have any ears.

"Who are you?" Luffy asked.

"I am Saldeath," said the impish-man.

_A monkey?_ Blizzard thought.

"You don't look like one," said Luffy.

"NO, YOU FOOL!" Saldeath shouted. "YOU JUST CALLED ME A MONKEY!"

"So you are a monkey," said Luffy.

"HEY!" Saldeath shouted before he regained his composure. "Just give up, now. Resistance is futile. You and your cohorts are trapped in an inescapable undersea prison. You never had a chance to begin with, but you should be glad that I captured you, because the floor beneath this one is being patrolled by the four roaming Jailer Beasts."

_Jailer Beasts?_ Blizzard thought.

"He's right," said Buggy. "I definitely don't wanna run into them, or the Warden!"

Suddenly, the Sphinx's eyes opened.

"Chilled noodles," he said.

_Oh, crap!_ Blizzard thought.

"Captain!" shouted one of the jailers. "The Sphinx woke up!"

**GRAAAARR!** The Sphinx as he thrashed about in the end.

"Fried noodles!" he shouted.

"Oh, no!" said one jailer. "At this rate, the net will break!"

"We can't let those four escape!" said Saldeath. "Especially 'Straw Hat'!"

**RRRRRRIP!** The Sphinx ripped the net open.

**GRAAAAAAAAAAWWRR!** He roared.

"Spaghetti soup!"

"All right!" Luffy exclaimed as he, Buggy, and Mr. 3 fell from the net. "We're out!"

**KRASH!** The Sphinx fell to the ground.

**TMP!** Luffy landed on his feet, next to Blizzard.

"You okay, Blizzard?" Luffy asked.

Blizzard panted, sweating buckets.

_Too…hot…!_ Blizzard thought.

"Get them!"

Luffy turned to the Blugori, who charged at him and Blizzard.

Blizzard attempted to attack, but he was still weak from the heat. Knowing this, Luffy had to step in.

"Gum-Gum…GATLING!"

**WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!** Luffy unleashed a series of rapid-fire punches upon the Blugori and the jailers, taking a great number of them with ease.

At that moment, he noticed that Buggy and Mr. 3 were missing.

"Hey," he said. "Where'd they go?"

"C'mon, Mr. 3! Hurry up!"

"This heat…I can't…!"

Luffy looked up and saw the two in questions, walking upon the rafters.

"Hey!" he called. "What are you guys doing way up there?"

Buggy and Mr. 3 smirked and made taunting faces at Luffy and Blizzard.

"So long, Straw Hat!" Buggy called. "Give your brother my regards! If he's still alive, then tell him that we should have a drink real soon!"

"Lead them away for us!" Mr. 3 called down. "Sucker…"

_Bastards,_ Blizzard thought. _If I wasn't so hot, I'd rip their tongues right outta there mouths!_

Luffy, on the other hand, had a different view at it.

"But…we just met up, again," he said. Then he smiled and waved up to them. "Okay, guys!" he called. "Thanks a lot for getting me this far, anyway!"

"AGH!" the two villains gagged at Luffy's positive attitude.

"How can he be so optimistic?" Buggy questioned.

"It hurts!" Mr. 3 gasped. "Oh, it hurts so much inside!"

Blizzard couldn't help but snicker.

"Don't let you guard down, even for a minute!" Saldeath said. "He and White Wolf's bounties combined are 300,250,000 Berries!"

**BAM!** Luffy kicked another Blugori away, not just trying to protect his weakened dog, but also because he just wanted to get to Ace, and fast.

"Dammit!" Luffy cursed. "I don't have time to fight with you guys!"

**GRAAAAAARR!** The Sphinx roared, once again.

"Oh, crap!" Luffy cursed, again. "I forgot about him!" He grabbed Blizzard and held him to his side. "Hang on, buddy!"

_I don't think I can make any promises, there,_ Blizzard thought.

**KROOM!** The Sphinx slammed his paw down at the two Straw Hats, but Luffy jumped out of the way, hopping on the heads of two other jailers. **WHUP! WHUP!**

Just as another Blugori was about to attack, **WHAP!** Luffy grabbed one by the arm.

"OUTTA OUR WAY!" he shouted.

**SWUP! KRASH!** Luffy threw the Blugori at the jailers and other Blugori.

**SWIP! TUMP!** Luffy carried Blizzard off as he jumped through the prison.

"Stairs! Stairs!" he said. "Where are the stairs?"

_Wait!_ Blizzard thought. _Hang on! I think I'm gonna…_

**BLEEEEEGGH!** Blizzard threw up.

"Ah, yuck! Buddy!"

"After them!" said a jailer. "Don't let them get away!"

XXX

"Hah…hah…it's so hot."

Buggy and Mr. 3 were still on the rafters, resting due to the heat of the Level.

"Okay," said Buggy. "I think we should be safe here, for now. Lucky for us, they went after Straw Hat and that mutt."

"Yes," agreed Mr. 3, "but the stairs leading up are blocked and just being here is torturous!"

As the two rested they suddenly heard what sounded like…singing.

"**Un, deux, GRAGH~!**

**Un, deux, UGH~!"**

"Who the hell is singing?" Buggy questioned.

"**Un, deux, GRAGH~!**

**Un, deux, BLEGH~!"**

Mr. 3 gasped, as if realization had struck.

"That voice…" he whispered. "It can't be!"

"**This world is made for men and women,**

**But when you're me, you're both a man and a woman~!**

**That's why I'm the strongest!**

**(Strongest)**

**Strongest!**

**(Strongest)**

**OH, COME MY WAY~!**

**Oh, the strongest!**

**(Strongest)**

**Strongest!**

**(Strongest)**

**Mmm~**

**Oh, COME MY WAY~!"**

The one who was singing was revealed to be…Bon Clay, otherwise known as the former Baroque Agent, Mr. 2.

He was still alive, after all!

Behind him, there were other prisoners who were frail and weak from hunger and exhaustion while Bon seemed to still have energy to burn.

**FWUMP!** The inmates soon collapsed.

"You did quite well!" said Bon as he did a pirouette. "I'll just keep spinning, spinning, and spinning! Like the bewildering we live in! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Hey! C'mon, you lot! Get up!"

At that moment, Mr. 3 and Buggy appeared at the cell.

"C'mon!" said Bon. "This stifling heat is nothing! Why, I can be more stifling than this!" As he spun, he noticed Mr. 3 and Buggy. "Oh! Well if it isn't Mr. 3! Ha-ha-ha-ha!"

"It's you…" Mr. 3 muttered.

Bon continued to hum, but then he did a double-take and got the shock of his life.

"WHAT?" he cried. "MR. 3? W-what are you doing here? Does this mean that you were captured, too? Wait a minute, what am I saying? I'M the one who got captured! Oh, just look at me! I was so taken back, that I had to do a double-take! It's my latest Oh-Come-My-Way Karate Move: Looking Back on that Autumn Night's Dream!"

"Suddenly, I've changed my mind about setting him free," said Mr. 3 as he slumped against the cell bars.

"Just what is this strange creature?" Buggy asked.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

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><p>Yay! Bon's here~!<p>

Sorry I took so long, everybody.

Anyway, as always, review please!


	8. Reunion in the Starvation Hell

**Ch. 8- Reunion in the Starvation Hell**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p><strong>BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!<strong> The alarms around Impel Down were blaring. Marines were in an uproar, preparing to enter the prison after they had just learned that Monkey D. Luffy and Blizzard had infiltrated the facility.

"We were already on high alert!"

"How were they able to slip through like that?"

"There are only two intruders," said a Marine Captain wearing a samurai helmet, "but if 'Fire Fist' Ace were to escape, both Impel Down and the World Government would be the laughing stock of the entire world!" He turned to his troops.

"You will now enter Impel Down and capture 'Straw Hat' Luffy and 'White Wolf' Blizzard!" he ordered. "The reputation of Marine HQ is at stake, here!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Mmmm~! Wait just a minute!" said a feminine voice.

The Marines stood in front of the doors and saw two figures.

The first was a woman with long, unkempt, orange hair, and was dressed in a skimpy, red, devil-themed outfit which covered only the top half of her exposed breasts with laces hanging that hung down, which were also featured around her waist. She had long sleeves that sloped into stylized rips. Around her neck, she wore a scarf-like cape that is white on the outside and pale pink on the inside. In her hand was a pitchfork and upon her head was a headpiece that resembled a pair of horns. She had candle-shaped earrings and high-heeled shoes that came to a curved tip decorated with spikes.

She looked like that of a dominatrix.

The other figure, who was peeking through the crack in the door…looked like a big, yellow koala with thick lips.

"Who're you?" asked the Marine Captain.

"I am Miss Sadie," said the woman. "Allowing intruders to enter and then calling in the Marines to take care of them gives Impel Down…mmmm…a black eye."

"'Miss' Sadie," a Marine soldier repeated. "So, what, you think you're cute or something or other?"

"SILENCE!" Sadie snapped. "CALL ME 'MISS SADIE', OR YOU'LL REGRET IT!"

**KER-WHAP!** She cracked looked like a whip on the Marine's head.

"AAAGH!" the Marine screamed as he held his whiplash.

"AAAAH~!" Sadie screamed in pleasure. "Mmmm~! I LOVE the sounds of painful screams!"

The Marine soldier growled and prepares to go at Sadie's throat, but the Captain raised an arm in front of him.

"Are you trying to tell me you don't need our help?" he questioned.

"This prison an infernal labyrinth," said Sadie. "If you're not familiar with the layout, you won't be of any help. Just stay out here…and make sure no one gets in or out. Now, raise the drawbridge, which is the only way in or out, mmmm…seal Impel Down off, completely!"

While Sadie shouted this, the marines couldn't help but eye the giant koala-creature standing behind her.

And so, all entrances and exits were closed, thus sealing Impel Down tight, not allowing anyone else in or out.

XXX

But meanwhile, on the floor where Ace and Jimbei are being held…

"Hey, look," said one of the inmates. "It's Hannyabal."

"And the Warden, Magellan, too!" said another. "What the hell's going on?"

In front of Ace's cell stood Hannyabal.

"You have yourself a special visitor, Ace!" said Hannyabal. "Bet you can't guess who it is. Even you've never met her, Jimbei."

Ace, Jimbei, and the others prisoners looked up.

"Everyone knows her name," said Hannyabal, "but only few have ever seen her, before. The Empress of the Kuja Tribe, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!"

Hancock came standing behind him.

"The powerful, proud, and beautiful Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock! WHOO-HOO!"

**Pop!** Hannyabal fired a confetti cone, but then **BONK!** Magellan hit him on the head.

"OUCH!" Hannyabal cried. "I really want to be the Warden! Err…! I mean…that really hurt!"

"What do you think you're doing?" Magellan questioned.

Jimbei seemed surprised by Hancock's appearance. Ace and another prisoner just sat, silently.

All the others prisoners, however, just went totally flustered upon seeing Hancock's beauty, except for one; a samurai from Wano Country that wore a gi with the number 756 on it. He had a stitched scar across his face and a topknot with the same number tattooed on his arm. He was Shichigoro, a laid-back samurai, also known as "The Skull Drinker", notorious for drinking sake from the skulls of his victims.

(A/N: Thank you, Samurai-Poet. :D)

When he saw Hancock, he was indeed infatuated, but instead of going into a tizzy like everyone else, he simply blushed and huffed.

"WHOO~!" One inmate whooped.

"What a woman!" cried another. "Look at that body!"

"So she's the Snake Princess of the Kuja, huh?" questioned one. "Hey, beautiful! Turn that head of yours my way!"

"Oh, Hancock~! "

"How exquisite she is~!"

"Hey, lady! Over here!"

"Come into our cell, why don't ya?"

"We won't hurt ya…much! Ha!"

"You smell like tropical flowers, cutie!"

"Take me to that Maiden Island of yours!"

"There's women there as far as the eye can see, and I hear they don't wear any underwear!"

"WHOO~! "

Ace, ignoring the craziness, just stared at Hancock, unaffected by her beauty, just like Luffy.

"Spill it," he said. "What the hell do you want?"

"I have no business with you, young Fire Fist," said Hancock. "I just wanted to see the man who is responsible for triggering this war that I'm about to participate in."

"Hmph," Ace scoffed. "So…I'm just some curiosity, huh?"

The prisoners were still making catcalls at Hancock, trying to get her attention.

"The unflappable Pirate Empress," leered Jimbei. "Why do you wish to help the World Government, and NOW of all times? Is keeping your title of Warlord THAT important to you?"

"Hey, pretty lady!"

"Look over here!"

"They're trying to have a conversation," Magellan said to the prisoners. "Now shut up!"

"You shut up, Magellan! Or should I say '24/7 Diarrhea-Man'?"

"Ha! You tell him, Buzz!"

"Hey! Snake Princess! Don't you think all those pretty ladies on that island of yours hungry for men?"

"Hey! Hurry up and retire, already, Warden!" Hannyabal called.

"Vice-Warden…" Domino said.

"So you're Jimbei," said Hancock. "You don't have to snap at me, you know." She then turned to one of the cells. "And you jabbering fools!"

"Yes!" said one drooling inmate. "She's finally looking over here! "

"If you insist on saying those harassing things," Hancock continued before she made a mixed expression of cuteness and fear, "you'll…scare me."

That was enough to send the prisoners into a frenzy, except Suchigoro, who kept his calm demeanor.

"I LOVE IT~!"

"GIVE HER HERE, DIARRHEA MAN!"

"WHOOOOO~!"

"Humph," Momonga grunted. "What vulgar swine. They make me sick!"

"Such out-of-control vermin," said Hannyabal. "Your reputation is ruined, Warden. What a failure you are."

"SHE'S SO IRRESISTIBLE~! " Magellan exclaimed in the same love-struck state.

"You're no better than they are, Diarrhea Man!" Magellan snapped.

"However," Magellan said, suddenly snapping out of it as a strange, "I cannot allow such disrespectful behavior."

**BLUP! BLUP!** A strange, purple substance started to seep from the Warden's body.

"GIVE HANCOCK TO ME~!"

"NO, ME! ME!"

Hannyabal turned to Magellan, desperately.

"Wait, Warden!" he said. "Don't! You'll endanger us, as well!"

Magellan didn't listen. Instead, three streams of purple liquid came gushing off of him. **BLUP! BLUP!**

"Know your place," said Magellan.

**BLUP! BLUP!** The streams of venom had transformed into a huge, three-headed dragon.

The prisoners gasped, finally realizing the danger they were in.

"Oh, no!" said one. "It's…the Hydra!"

"I'll show you who's in charge of this prison!" Magellan declared.

"No, wait, you bastard!" one of the prisoners cried. "We were just kidding!"

It was too late.

**GLOOOP!** One of the Hydra's heads attacked the cell, and it hit one of the inmates, coating him in lethal poison.

"Uh…AAAAGGH!" he screamed.

"That's it," said another inmate. "You're dead meat, pal."

"No! Someone! Gimme the antidote! Please!"

Suchigoro sighed as he sat with his back against the wall.

"That's what you get for being such a blithering idiot," he said.

"Don't any one of you rats forget," Magellan began, "that I have the power and the authority to execute the whole lot of you…right here and now!"

The prisoners just stared at the Warden, not speaking a word, but they were indeed fearful, for they were reminded just how serious a threat he could be to their lives, thanks to his Devil Fruit powers.

"Now then, Hancock," said Magellan. "Please, take your time with 'Fire Fist' Ace."

"No need," said Hancock. "My business is finished, here."

"Wait!" Ace called to the Warlord. "Are you sure?"

"I've no reason to lie," Hancock replied. A small smirk played on her lips. "Oh, and by the way…he was afraid you'd get angry with him if he came here."

With that, Hancock and her escorts began to leave.

"What did she say to him?" asked Magellan.

"I don't know," said Hannyabal. "I was too busy trying to escape from you, Warden!"

Back in Ace and Jimbei's cell, the latter turned to the former and asked, "Ace…what did she tell you? I couldn't hear her!"

**Gulp!** Ace swallowed the lump in his throat and answered, "She said…my little brother, Luffy, and his dog…are here!"

"What?" Jimbei questioned. "You mean the boy in the Straw Hat you always talk about? How foolhardy he must be!"

XXX

Meanwhile, in Level 3, the Starvation Hell, Luffy was seen running up a flight of stairs with Blizzard tailing behind. Even though it was still quite hot, he had regained enough strength to at least try and keep up with Luffy.

"What's going on?" Luffy asked. "Since when did we start going upstairs? We were trying to go down!"

_Buggy was right,_ Blizzard thought. _This place IS like a maze!_

**GRRRUUUUUUMMBLE!** Luffy's stomach roared.

"I'm starving."

Unbeknownst to the duo, a Transponder Snail that was slithering up the wall was watching them.

"**Now entering Sector C."**

"Target sighted."

Up ahead, a group of guards had been anticipating Luffy and Blizzard to come up the stairs and aimed their rifles at them.

**BLAM! BA-BAM! BLAM!** They opened fire, but Luffy and Blizzard were swift enough to dodge the shots. However, when they looked back, they saw that they were nets behind them.

"Crap," Luffy cursed. "It's probably those sea prism stone nets, again! Blizzard! Let's go!"

Blizzard nodded before he followed after Luffy, both dodging the nets as they were fired, but as they were running, **THWAM!** A giant paw pinned both of them down.

"AGH!" Luffy gagged. He looked up and saw that it was the Sphinx. "Oh, no! The lion!"

_Oh, that's just GREAT!_ Blizzard thought. _How can things get any worse?_

**GRAAAAAAARRR!** The Sphinx roared, prepared to eat both Luffy and Blizzard whole.

"Wait just a minute, you vile beast!"

Luffy and Blizzard looked upon hearing a familiar gruff voice. They looked up, and they see…Zoro, dressed in a prisoner's uniform, poised like a ballet dancer.

"I'm here to save you, Luffy!" he said.

"Zoro?" Luffy said, smiling. "Don't tell me they threw you in here, too!"

_It can't be,_ Blizzard thought. _He looks the same but…the scent…it smells like cosmetics. The real Zoro smells like steel and Sea King meat!_

"Just kidding!" "Zoro" said, before he jumped at the Sphinx and **KA-WHAK!** He threw powerful kick to the Sphinx's jaw, one that would rival Sanji's. The kick was so strong, it freed Luffy and Blizzard from his grasp.

Luffy looked up to his savior, and that's when he realized…

"That's not Zoro," he said.

It was revealed that the man was none other than Bon Clay!

"Ta-DAH~!" Bon Clay cried, tears streaming from his eyes. "It's me, Straw Boy!"

"Bon!" Luffy cried, a joyful smile on his face. "I'm a little disappointed when I realized it wasn't Zoro, but…YOU'RE ALIVE!"

Blizzard didn't seem to understand, at first, but then he realized that he had heard about Bon Clay through Luffy's stories and remembered that he was an old friend. As strange as it was, the wolf-dog decided not to worry about it. If he was a friend of Luffy, then he was okay with him.

"Out of our way, you rats!" Bon Clay snapped at the guards. "What do you think you're doing to my friend?"

**BAP! BAP! BAP!** He kicked the guards away.

Saldeath, who was also there, turned to see the Sphinx, seemingly staggering to his paws.

"That's right, Sphinx!" said Saldeath. "Fight back till you can't anymore!"

Upon taking a closer look, it was revealed that Luffy, Blizzard, and Bon Clay had beaten the Sphinx into submission. The huge beast was now lying down on the floor, a huge mess of lumps on his head and his face all bloodied.

"DAAAAAAAAAHH!" Saldeath screamed. "SPHIIIIIIIIIIINNX!"

"That should do it!" said Luffy.

_Even in the heat,_ Blizzard thought, _I'm still as strong as ever._

"That's right, Straw Boy!" Bon Clay said, doing a pirouette. "The best way to make a simple-minded brute like this understand where it's place is to clobber it! It's the Law of the Wild! WAHAHAHA!"

_Another escapee?_ Saldeath thought. _I don't understand it! Are they recruiting as they go?_

**WHAP!** Luffy and Bon Clay embraced each other in a tearful, joyous reunion.

"Oh, Bon!" Luffy said. "I thought you were a goner when you gave yourself up back there in Alabasta!"

"Of course not!" Bon Clay said. "We swans never die! Right?"

_Swan?_ Blizzard thought.

Just to recap, Bon Clay's Devil Fruit is the Clone-Clone Devil Fruit. It gives him the power to mimic others just by touching their faces with their right hand. If he touches his own face with his left hand, he turns back into himself.

"Blugori!" Saldeath demanded as he put his pitchfork to his mouth like a flute, again. "Don't let them get away!"

**UHOOO!** The Blugori roared.

"By the way, Straw Boy," said Bon Clay. "I heard you and this wolf of yours want to go all the way down to Level 5, am I right?"

"Yeah!" Luffy replied. "You wouldn't know how to get there, would ya?"

"Of course!" said Bon Clay as he got into a fighting stance. "Let's go together! There's someone Level 5 that I want to see, too!"

"You do?" Luffy asked, also poised to fight.

_Well, here we go,_ Blizzard thought.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

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><p>Sorry it seems short and looks rushed.<p>

Review, please!


	9. Enter Jailer Beast Minotaurus

**Ch. 9: Enter: Jailer Beast, Minotaurus**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>Three escapees are now lose in Impel Down, supposed accomplices of the "Straw Hat" Luffy and "White Wolf" Blizzard.<p>

Pirate Captain Buggy the Clown, inmate #E8200.

Former Baroque Works Agent, Galdino, A.K.A "Mr. 3", inmate #D0464.

Former Baroque Works Agent, Bentham, A.K.A "Mr. 2 Bon Clay", inmate #C9915.

Luffy, Blizzard, and Bon Clay are currently in level 3, the Starvation Hell, Sector N, heading down to Level 4. The whereabouts of Buggy and Mr. 3 are currently unknown.

There was also a riot going on in Level 2, which Saldeath and the Blugori had gone to suppress since the Blugori were no match for Luffy, Blizzard, and Bon Clay.

The prisoners, who had tapped into communications via Black Transponder Snail. While some were making a joke about the events that were going on, others were certain that Luffy, Blizzard, Bon Clay, Buggy, and Mr. 3 were certainly goners.

In Magellan's office on Level 4, he had finished communications with the guards and were now giving Sadie, Hannyabal, and three other shadowy figures their orders.

"The guests have left, yes?" Sadie asked. "In that case, we're all set for the hunt! Mmmmm…what would you like us to, Warden?"

"Ah, Miss Sadie," said Magellan. "Is there anyone on Level 3?"

"Just, mmmmmm…the Minotaurus," Sadie replied.

"But we can't corner them on Level 3," said Magellan. "There are too many possible escape routes. Let Saldeath take care of the riot on Level 2. Deploy all forces to Level 4! If they somehow managed to escape the Minotaurus and drop into the Inferno Hell…then I shall execute them, myself! That should teach them not to underestimate Impel Down!"

**Gulp!** Hannyabal swallowed the lump in his throat in fear.

XXX

Meanwhile, in Level 3, Luffy, Blizzard, and Bon Clay were still trying to make their way to Level 4. However, they had soon run into a problem.

"What the hell?" Luffy asked. "What is that thing? Did you see it move? So fast!"

_What is this thing?_ Blizzard thought.

The thing that Blizzard was referring to was revealed to be some sort of minotaur…a dumb-looking minotaur with beady, cutesy eyes, big, thick lips, and a runny nose. Its body pattern was that of a Holstein cow. He wore red-and-white striped pants with a crescent moon belt buckle. In its hand was a spiked club.

"Oh, no," said Bon Clay. "It's Minotaurus!"

"Mino-what's-it?" Luffy questioned.

"Minotaurus!" Bon Clay repeated. "One of the Jailer Beasts of Impel Down! These guys are cold-blooded monsters that treat human beings like trash!"

"Monsters?" Luffy repeated. "So, are they like Devil Fruit users are something?"

**Grrrrrrr…!** Blizzard growled, viciously.

Suddenly, the Minotaurus seemed to move so fast, that he couldn't be seen, then **THWAK!** He slammed his spiked club into Bon Clay's head. **KABAM!** He was thrown right into a wall!

"BON!" Luffy cried.

_Damn, that thing is fast!_ Blizzard thought before he looked up and saw, to his horror, that the Minotaurus was now right behind him. Before he could react quick enough, **BAM!** Minotaurus slammed his club into Blizzard, throwing him into a wall, as well.

"BLIZZARD, NO!" Luffy cried.

**WHAM!** Minotaurus swung his club down at Luffy, who managed to roll out of the way. However, Minotaurus proved to be too quick for Luffy, for before he knew it, **SHWAK!** He swung his club into Luffy's head, and because it was spiked, it could deal a lot more damage.

"AAAAAAAGGH!" Luffy screamed as he held his face in pain and rolled around on the floor until he hit a wall. He was in so much agony, he didn't notice that Minotaurus was about to attack, again. Just when it seemed like Luffy was about to get smashed again…

"LOOK OUT, STRAW BOY!"

**WHAM!** Bon Clay laid a powerful kick to the beast's head, giving Luffy a chance to run away. However, before Bon Clay himself could escape, **WHAP!** Minotaurus pinned him to the floor by his neck.

"Bon!" Luffy cried. "No!"

"AGH!" Bon Clay gagged as mouth started foaming. "I…I'm gonna die…!"

Luffy attempted to help Bon Clay, but he was still recovering from his injury, when suddenly, **WHOOSH!** A white blur raced passed Luffy and **CHOMP!** Bit down, hard on Minotaurus's shoulder.

It was Blizzard, come to the rescue!

_Leave him alone, you damn cow!_ the wolf-dog yelled in thought.

"Blizzard!" Luffy cried.

Minotaurus thrashed about, trying to throw Blizzard off, letting Bon Clay go as he did, but the wolf-dog's fangs were glued into his tough skin. Minotaurus raised his club, attempting to strike the wolf-dog with it, even if it did mean injuring himself.

"Blizzard, look out!" Luffy cried.

Just as Minotaurus was about to hit Blizzard, the wolf-dog looked up at him with a deathly glare in his eyes. Minotaurus froze, and then he dropped his club, and right after that, he dropped, too with a loud **THWUD!** A thick stream of foam came out of his mouth.

Blizzard walked up to Luffy and started to lick his face clean of the blood. Luffy sighed and petted his loyal companion.

"Thanks, buddy," he said.

Blizzard nodded.

_I may've used my Haki,_ he thought, _but something tells me he won't stay down for long._

"Bon!" Luffy called. "You okay?"

Bon shuddered as he came to his feet.

"For a moment there, I really thought I was done for," said Bon Clay. "I saw a field of queens before me eyes! What happened?"

"Blizzard knocked out the cow with just a stare," said Luffy. "It was really weird. I bet he's still alive, though, but I don't know how long it'll take for it to wake up."

"Oh, this is just terrible," said Bon Clay. "Look at me! My makeup is ruined! I need cosmetics! And new ballet slippers, and new clothes, and new weapons…as well as booze, and tears, and the Oh-Come-My-Way."

"Blizzard and I need to go down further," said Luffy, who had his tongue lulling out of his mouth and a hand to his stomach, "but I'm really hungry, and thirsty, too."

**GUUUURRRGLE!** His stomach rumbled.

**Huff! Puff! Huff! Puff!** Blizzard panted. He had forgotten about the intense heat, and it was starting to get to him, again.

"Don't fret, Straw Boy!" said Bon Clay. "It's really easy to get down to Level 4 from here! INSANELY easy!"

"Really?" Luffy asked. "Wait, you're not pulling my arm, are ya?"

_It's pulling your LEG,_ Blizzard thought.

"Indeed!" Bon Clay answered. "Just try climbing up that wall over there!"

Luffy looked to the wall beside him and jumped up to it. The moment he did, though, **SZZZZZZ!** His palms began to burn, and Blizzard found himself in the same situation.

"YOW!" Luffy cried. "Bon, we can't climb this wall! It's hotter than a boiling pot! We can't even touch it!"

"How very observant of you," said Bon Clay.

As the three reached a hole in the wall that acted like some sort of window, they saw that there was smoker billowing through it.

"Ah!" Luffy yelped as he hopped about. "Hot! Hot! Hot!"

"Take a look down there," Bon Clay inquired.

Luffy and Blizzard looked down and saw a huge tower of smoke with a fan in the ceiling. Whatever was down there, they couldn't see through the smoke.

"What the hell is this?" Luffy questioned. "The heat and smoke are crazy!"

Blizzard panted heavily.

_Way…too…hot…!_ he thought, before he fell on his side, gaining Luffy's attention.

"Blizzard!" he cried. "You okay, buddy?"

Blizzard continued to pant, and large amounts of saliva began to seep from his mouth. It looked like he was about to pass out from heat stroke, right then and there.

"Oh, no," said Luffy. "Is it too hot for you, buddy?"

_You just now noticed?_ Blizzard thought.

"Don't worry, Blizzard," Luffy soothed as he took off his hat and placed it on his dog's crown. "You'll be okay. I'll carry you all the way down to Level 5 if I have to!"

He picked Blizzard up and put him on his back, piggyback style. Blizzard looked at his best friend and smiled weakly.

He owed Luffy so much, he didn't think there was anything he could do to repay him.

"So, Bon," Luffy said. "Why'd you show us this?"

"Because, Straw Boy," said Bon Clay, "right down there is where you want to go! Level 4, the Inferno Hell!"

"Oh, man," said Luffy. "The heat coming from below is too hot, even for me! Ugh…!"

"Like you said," Bon Clay explained, "Level 4 is like a giant cooking pot. Below this, all you'll find is the Boiling Pool of Blood, a huge sea of flames! Jump down, if you want, but if you pick a bad place to land, odds are you'll be ending up with more then just burns. You'll be taking your entire life in your hands!"

"Hey, Bon," said Luffy. "Didn't you say there was someone you wanted to see down there? Who is it? Are you even willing to risk your life for this guy?"

"Oh, yes, Straw Boy," Bon Clay answered. "People call him…'The Miracle Worker'. He was arrested on trumped-up charges. They call him 'Iva'. He's the Queen of the Kamabakka Kingdom, the Pink Paradise of the Grand Line! The queens of the world look up to him as the world's greatest drag queen!"

_This guy sounds like a real weirdo,_ Blizzard thought.

"I want to meet him!" Bon Clay declared. "If possible, I want to break him out of here!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHH!"

Luffy, Blizzard, and Bon Clay looked up when they heard two familiar screams. They were revealed to belong Buggy and Mr. 3...and not too far behind them…was Minotaurus!

Soon enough, Luffy and Bon Clay were also running away from the Jailer Beast, the former carrying Blizzard piggyback style and laughing.

_Damn,_ Blizzard cursed in thought. _How could someone wake up from my Haki so quick?_

"WHY DID YOU TWO LEAD HIM HERE TO US?" Bon Clay shouted. "I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU WERE TRYING TO ESCAPE!"

"I knew it!" Luffy said, smiling. "I knew you guys wanted to come with me!"

"HELL NO!" Buggy shouted. "I TOLD YOU FIVE TIMES, ALREADY, I'M NOT LETTING YOU DRAG ME DOWN TO HELL! WE WERE HIDING WHEN THAT MONSTER CAME CHARGING AT US! I DON'T KNOW HOW IN THE HELL IT FOUND US!"

"I've had enough of this," said Mr. 3, who was weakened from the heat. "I'd much rather be in jail!"

"Dammit all!" Buggy cursed. "The Minotaurus is gonna kill us all at this rate! I'll show you something special!" He turned to Luffy. "Hey, Straw Hat! Do you remember the time I devastated that town with my special Buggy Ball?"

"Uh," Luffy hummed. "Nope."

Buggy seemed to frown upon hearing that answer.

"The Buggy Ball is a very powerful cannonball!" Buggy said. "It's sort of my…trademark weapon."

"You must have a lot of confidence in this 'Buggy Ball' if you had put your name in it," Mr. 3 commented.

_I'll say,_ thought Blizzard.

"That's right!" Buggy exclaimed. "I made one small enough to conceal on my body while maintaining its destructive abilities! It's my newest weapon! I call it…'The Muggy Ball'!"

"It's not named after you, anymore!" cried Mr. 3.

**WHUP!** Buggy suddenly came to a stop.

"Chew on this!" he shouted.

**BAM!** Something was fired out of the toe of his shoe. It was tiny, about the size of a grape, and it was sent flying into Minotaurus's face.

"SPECIAL MUGGY BALL!"

**KABOOM!** The Muggy Ball created an enormous explosion once it hit Minotaurus.

"Whoa!" Luffy exclaimed. "That was…AWESOME!"

"Wonderful!" Bon Clay added.

However, it appeared that it was not enough to defeat Minotaurus, for he was still standing.

"How could he still be conscious?" Buggy questioned in disbelief.

"Leave this to me, Straw Boy!" Bon Clay declared before he jumped at Minotaurus.

"Hey, Three!" Luffy called to Mr. 3. "Can't you use your Wax-Wax powers or something?"

"No!" Mr. 3 answered. "Anything I make will melt in three seconds!"

"That's long enough for me!" Luffy said.

**FWUP! FWUP! FWUP!** Bon Clay did several flips in the air.

"Fly! Fly! I'm flying through the sky~!" he sang. "Oh-Come-My-Way Karate…Winter Wonderland…JETE!"

**WHA-BAM!** He landed another powerful kick on Minotaurus's crown.

While Minotaurus held his head in pain, he was unaware of the group's strategy.

"Here we go, Straw Hat!" Mr. 3 exclaimed. "Candle LOCK!"

**GLOOP!** Mr. 3 covered Luffy's right arm with wax.

"Okay!" Luffy said as he threw his arm back and twisted it around while still holding Blizzard. "GUUUUUM…GUUUUUUM…"

Minotaurus showed that he wasn't ready to give up, just yet, for he raised up his spike club. It was too late for him to make a counter attack, though.

"HAMMER RIFLE!"

**WHAM!** Luffy's spinning fist, combined with Mr. 3's Candle Lock, landed a very powerful blow to Minotaurus's jaw.

**GLOOP! GLUP!** The wax melted away as Minotaurus was sent flying away.

"YES!" Buggy and Mr. 3 cheered.

"WE DID IT!" Bon Clay chimed. "WE DEFEATED THE JAILER BEAST!"

"Okay, you guys!" said Luffy. "Let's keep this up and get to Level 4!"

XXX

Down in Ace and Jimbei's cell, the latter could hear Ace muttering something to himself.

"Whatever you do…" Ace whispered, "…please…don't come here…Luffy!"

XXX

**BZZZZ…!**

"**This Level 4! Starting with Warden Magellan, all forces have now gathered on…the Inferno Hell!"**

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

* * *

><p>Review, please!<p> 


	10. Level 4 The Inferno Hell

**Ch. 10- Level 4: The Inferno Hell**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>Outside, in the rear passage of Impel Down, Hancock and Momonga were being taken to their battleship on a little boat that was being steered by one of the staff of Impel Down.<p>

"So," asked Momonga, "how much long until his execution?"

"29 hours," said the one piloting the boat, "It's set for 3 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. If everything goes as planned, then that'll be the end of it. Portgas D. Ace will be escorted out of the prison, tomorrow morning."

Hancock, however, didn't seem to be paying any attention. She just looked up at the wall surrounding Impel Down.

_Luffy,_ she thought. _Yours and Blizzard's safety are my only concerns._

XXX

Momonga and Hancock arrive at the battleship, where they heard some rather upsetting news.

Apparently, "Red-Haired" Shanks had been involved some minor clashes that have been going on in the New World…against Kaido, another one of the Four Emperors.

Kaido was trying to take advantage of the current situation to take out Whitebeard, but Shanks got in his way, at least that's what they believe down at HQ. Now, everyone is on high alert.

In spited of his worry, Momonga decided to leave it alone, for now, for Whitebeard and Ace were their top priority. After all, who could possibly stop a battle between two of the Four Emperors?

"There's no way that the big confrontation with Whitebeard can be avoided!" Momonga declared. "Even the whole world can feel it! Hurry, on to Marineford!"

"Yes, sir!"

XXX

Meanwhile, in Level 3, Luffy, Blizzard, Bon Clay, Buggy, and Mr. 3 were discussing Luffy's plan while Minotaurus lay defeated.

"Inferno Hell is just below us, and yet you still wanna go down?" Buggy shouted.

"We are NOT going down to Level 4!" exclaimed Mr. 3.

"Why not?" Luffy asked.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?"

"Listen, Straw Hat," said Mr. 3. "We're trying to break out of the prison! Out!"

"Yeah, so we gotta go up! UP! Understand?" Buggy said as he pointed upwards.

Blizzard, still being carried piggyback style by Luffy, was practically drooling waterfalls on the latter.

"Eww!" Luffy cried. "Blizzard, I know you're hot, but PLEASE, stop drooling on me!"

_You know,_ Blizzard thought, _yelling at me won't really help!_

"ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING?" Mr. 3 and Buggy yelled, questioningly.

"Just ignore them, Straw Boy," said Bon Clay. "Those two are nothing but big, gutless dorks."

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE CALLING A BIG-NOSED DORK?" Buggy snapped.

"WHAT?" Bon Clay yelled. "How in the world did you get THAT out of what I said? Fine, then! I'll just twirl!"

"Oh, hey!" Luffy said. "Check it out! The ceiling's getting higher!"

_How can that be?_ Blizzard thought.

"You're right," said Mr. 3. "But wait…what's that rumbling sound? What is this? Some sort of trick?"

"Wait!" Bon Clay said. "The ceiling's not rising! We're falling!"

They all screamed, except Blizzard, who was too hot to even bark.

"My Muggy Ball worked too well!" Buggy cried. "It broke right through the floor!"

"No way!" Luffy said. "It was my punch that did it!"

"You're wrong!" Bon Clay added. "It was the power of my kick!"

"No, it was my," Mr. 3 started, but then trailed off. "Oh, never mind."

"THAT'S IT?"

_Doofus,_ Blizzard thought.

"WE'RE ALL GONNA BURN~!" the four of them screamed as they fell further and further down…towards Level 4, the Inferno Hell.

XXX

"No, wait! Stop! Please!"

"Don't do this! We'll die!"

"Save your breath! You'll get what you deserve! Just how many innocent lives did you take before you got here?"

"… … …"

"Do it."

"No! No, please!"

**WHAK! THWAK! WHAM!**

A huge, shadowy beast throws a group of prisoners down into a boiling vat…of blood.

The prisoners swam up, screaming at the top of their lungs in agony.

"Help!"

"Get us outta here!"

"Please!"

"Bring more firewood! Hurry it up!"

This was Level 4, the Inferno Hell, which really deserves the name. The whole place had a sea of flames sitting under a huge of vat of boiling blood. The heat here was unbearable, which was the guards were wearing special suits to protect themselves from the heat.

It is also right above where Ace is said to be held.

"Hey! One of the prisoners is trying to escape!"

A prisoner was running along the stone bridge above the Boiling Pool of Blood, pushing his fellow inmates out of his way, even though his hands were still cuffed.

"Outta my way! Move!" he shouted. "I'm burning up! My guts feel like they're on fire! This place is worse than death, itself! I can't stand anymore! GET OUTTA MY WAY!"

**BAP!** He pushed another prisoner out of his way.

"AGH!" he cried.

"I said OUTTA MY WAY! Do you wanna get thrown into the fire?"

**WHAK!** The prisoner slammed his fist into the back of another…only this one wouldn't stand for it. The inmate turned to his attacker, and, using the large piece of timber that he was holding…**SWAP!** He struck the prisoner off the bridge!

"AAAAAAAH!" he screamed.

"Hey!" shouted a guard. "What the hell do you think you're doing? You can't assault your fellow inmates!"

The prisoner was revealed to Former Baroque Assassin, Daz Bones, also known as Mr. 1, the one Zoro defeated back in Alabasta. Mr. 1 licked the blood that was trickling down his temple before he continued to carry the firewood. Due to wearing sea prism stone cuffs, he would have to deal with using that (and his own fists) for weapons…for now, at least.

Inside the cells, the inmates were getting worried about something.

"What in the hell are Magellan and Hannyabal doing down in Level 4?"

"The Jailer Beasts are here, too."

"This is getting scary. What's going on, here?"

In the passage connecting Level 3 and Level 4, there were guards everywhere, wearing fireproof coats and such.

"Jeez, it's so hot down here!"

"Then make sure you zip up your coat. It's the only thing that'll keep out the heat."

"If Straw Hat Luffy, White Wolf Blizzard, and those other three do come down, the only way they can get here is through this door. Any word yet? Did Minotaurus get them?"

In the middle of it all, Magellan was sitting in a box of some sort with Hannyabal standing beside him.

"Warden," Hannyabal began, "when I take your place, I want a more open chair."

"Quiet," Magellan said. "I like enclosed spaces, and I want to shut you out, too."

"If I'd known we're going to have wait this long," Sadie began, "I would've, mmmm, gone straight to Level 3."

"Be patient Miss Sadie," said Magellan.

"Oh, it's not me," said Sadie. "It's them."

Behind Sadie, there were three other huge creatures.

The first one looked like a bipedal zebra in pants. He has a runny nose and large lips, just like Minotaurus. He also has long, curly, elegant, purple hair. He also had a pair of bored-looking eyes. In his hands was a spike-ball mace.

He is Minozebra, one of the Jailer Beasts, who is described as being very shy.

The second one looked like a big yellow koala in pants. He has cutesy eyes, just like Minotaurus, as well as large lips and a runny nose. On his hands were two spiked knuckles. Tied to his belt is a bag full of eucalyptus leaves, which he is currently munching on.

He is Minokoala, another Jailer Beast, who is described as having a feisty nature.

The third, and last, was a large, blue, bipedal rhino in overalls. Just like Minokoala and Minotaurus, he has cutesy eyes, large lips, and, of course, a runny nose. In his hands were not one, but two spiked clubs.

He is Minorhinoceros, the fourth, and last, Jailer Beast, who has a quiet nature.

"They're thirsty for blood," Sadie began, eerily, "and they don't have one shred of patience, at all."

"Reporting, sir!" said a guard. "Straw Hat Luffy and White Wolf Blizzard are currently inside the well-hole tower of Level 3! We've been unable to obtain any video of him."

"It would save us a lot of trouble if they both fell all the way down into the bubbling Pool of Blood," Magellan said. "Aside from White Wolf, Straw Hat and his comrades all have Devil Fruit powers. If they fell in there, they'd sink like stones."

Suddenly a guard came from behind the box Magellan was sitting in.

"Warden Magellan, sir! I have news to report! Straw Hat Luffy and White Wolf are already on Level 4!"

"WHAT?" Magellan shouted, looking through a door in the side of the box. "How can that be?"

"They must've fallen through the well-hole," said the guard.

"But the Pool of Blood is directly below it! How could they survive?"

"This is only a hunch, but maybe the rubble they fell served as a foothold and helped them get out before they could fall completely in!"

"And what's more…" said another guard.

"What else is there?" Magellan questioned as he poked his head out through a back window.

"I don't want this chair," Hannyabal murmured.

"Minotaurus fell with them! He's out cold!"

"What?" Sadie questioned. "How in the hell could Minotaurus been defeated?"

"Calm down!" Magellan ordered. "There only two ways stairways that can be used without security clearance. We're going to split into three groups. Hannyabal, you go and guard the stairway to Level 3, here. Miss Sadie, you take the Jailer Beasts and guard the one that leads to Level 5."

"Guard?" Sadie repeated. "Mmmm~, no way! I want to assault! I want assail! If I can't do that, then I have no reason to live, Warden!"

"If they do come my way, I'll let them escape, and then Magellan will take the fall," Hannyabal whispered.

"Are you not pleased with your orders?" Magellan asked.

**WHISSSSP!** He sighed, letting out some poisonous gas that choked Hannyabal, Sadie, and Minokoala.

"AH!" Sadie cried. "Don't sigh, mmmm~! Please, stop!"

"What did I do?" Hannyabal questioned.

"Capture them," said Magellan. "After that, you can do whatever with them."

"Ooh, wonderful~!" said Sadie. "I'd love that, mmmm~, very much!"

"As for the rest of you jailers, capture them dead or alive!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Yes! Mmmm~, but I'd prefer if they were at least a little alive."

XXX

Meanwhile, near the Pool of Blood, Luffy, Blizzard, Bon Clay, Buggy, and Mr. 3 had indeed escaped death, but were now standing on the hot stone floor above it and were jumping about, except for Blizzard, who was still clinging to Luffy's back, and Bon Clay, who was joyously spinning around.

"Hot, hot, hot, hot!" Buggy cried. "What kind of a passageway is this? This heat's unbearable!"

"The air's so hot," Mr. 3 commented. "It's practically cooking my lungs!"

"We gotta…" **GASP!** "…get outta here!" Luffy panted. "Which way do we go, now?"

_Can't move,_ Blizzard thought. _So…hot. Feels like…an oven._

"Ha-ha-ha!" Bon Clay laughed. "You four are all a bunch of wusses! You know the old saying: 'Clear your thoughts of all mundane thoughts and you will find the strength to put on women's clothes!'"

_Where does THAT come from?_ Blizzard questioned.

"Although, this place is a little hotter than Level 3, don't you think?" asked Bon Clay. "Yes, now that I think about it, it is a bit hot in here. I feel like I'm burning up just a bit." He stopped spinning and then started to scream. "IT'S WAY TOO HOT IN HERE!"

"YOU'RE JUST MAKING IT WORSE!" Luffy, Buggy, and Mr. 3 exclaimed, angrily.

Suddenly, Luffy looked to his right, and his nose twitched. Without warning, he suddenly ran off in that direction, still carrying Blizzard as he did.

"This way!" he called. "Follow me!"

"Wait!" Buggy called. "Where are you going, Straw Hat?"

"IT'S TOO HOT IN HERE!" Bon Clay shouted.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Mr. 3 snapped.

"Wait a second," said Bon Clay. "If Straw Hat is going straight to the right, which means he's going to…THE KITCHEN!" He runs after him. "AND I'M STARVING!"

"Ooh!" Buggy chirped. "Good idea! I hope there's booze there, too!"

"No, Buggy, wait!" Mr. 3 said as he grabbed the clown pirate.

Meanwhile, Luffy was still running to the kitchen. This heat was quite strong, but Luffy's stomach proved to be stronger.

"It's HOT!" Luffy cried. "Hot, hot, HOT!" He sniffed the air. "Oh, man, but it smells so good!"

Up ahead, a group of guards were waiting for Luffy.

"Here they come! Straw Hat Luffy and White Wolf Blizzard!"

"Get them!"

**TMP! TMP! TMP! TMP! TMP!** The guards charged at the two Straw Hat Pirates, and Luffy was forced to brake to a stop.

"Ah, man! There's so many of them!" he said while panting. "Boy, this floor is a hell of a lot than Level 3."

**Huff! Huff! Huff! Huff!** Blizzard still panting, his tongue hanging out of his mouth, his fur sweaty, and his nose runny. Luffy looked at his weakened canine companion, then back at the guards.

"What am I gonna do?" he questioned to himself. "If I wasn't so hungry, and if Blizzard wasn't on my back like this, I'd send these bastards flying with a Gum-Gum Gatling, but my hands are full!"

Just then, Luffy seemed to get an idea.

"Maybe," he began, "…I won't have to punch these guys!"

The guards let out battle cries, holding their pitchforks in the air, preparing to apprehend both Luffy and Blizzard.

"Give it up!"

"There's nowhere for you to escape to!"

"Prepare yourselves!"

Luffy smirked before he jumped up into the air, above the guards.

"All right!" he said. "Chew on this! Gum-Gum…"

He started to kick and stretch his legs down at the guards in rapid-fire succession.

"STAMP GATLING!"

**WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!** Luffy began to pummel the guards with his furious feet, defeating every last one of them and sending them flying down into the flames below.

Blizzard couldn't help but smirk, proudly, in spite of his condition.

_That's my Luffy,_ he thought as Luffy landed on the floor.

"C'mon, buddy," said Luffy. "Let's get going!"

Blizzard nodded before Luffy continued to run.

XXX

Back with Buggy and Mr. 3...

"Hey, come on, partner!" Buggy said. "What are you waiting for? You've gotta be starved, too, right?"

"Take a good look, you fool!" Mr. 3 retorted. "There are lots of guards, running around here, and they're well-organized! Level 4 is supposed to be filled with screams of agony, but nobody is feeding the fire and the inmates aren't attempting to escape! And look how many guards are moving around in formations! Something's definitely up, here!"

"So, what're you suggesting?" asked Buggy.

"We must check the exits, at once," Mr. 3 answered. "It looks like they were waiting for us! Right now, we're like rats in a trap!"

"But why in the hell would those damn guards be waiting for us down here?" Buggy questioned. "They're after Straw Hat and his mutt, aren't they? We're only innocent pawns in all this!"

"Either way," Mr. 3 started, "they know we're on the loose. The thing I'm most afraid of…"

"Yeah?" Buggy questioned.

"The thing I'm most afraid," Mr. 3 continued, "is that in order to restore order, they've called in Impel Down's All-Star Team! The 3 Jailer Beasts are a given…but if the Warden, Magellan, is here, then that's it! Game over!"

XXX

Meanwhile, Luffy was still running to the kitchen, but his instincts told him to jump back, and quick, and that's what he did.

**BLUMP!** Some weird, goopy, purple substance fell from the ceiling in front of Luffy.

"Whew!" Luffy sighed. "That startled me! I thought that was gonna be a spear or a sword or something! Wait, what the hell is that stuff? Jelly crap?"

_Something tells me that's not likely,_ Blizzard thought.

Suddenly, Bon Clay was heard gasping.

"Straw Boy! Wolfy!" he cried. "Above you! Watch out!"

Luffy and Blizzard looked up, and then jumped back when **KRASH!** A huge shadow fell from the ceiling and dropped in front of Luffy.

It is none other than Magellan!

"AAAAAAAAH!" Bon Clay screamed. "IT'S HIM! MAGELLAN!"

_What the hell?_ Blizzard thought.

"Who the hell are you?" Luffy questioned.

"You…bastard criminal scumbags!" Magellan hissed.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

* * *

><p>For those of you who are wondering, I thought it'd be cool if Luffy learned Gum Gum Stamp Gatling before the Marineford War arc.<p>

Anyway, sorry I took so long updating this!

Review please!


	11. Luffy vs Magellan

**Ch. 11- Luffy vs. Magellan**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>The guards began to stand to their feet. Once they did, they gasped in horror.<p>

"O-oh, no!" said one. "Quick! We have to get away from here, on the double!"

"This heat is unbearable," said Magellan, sweating poison. "It truly is like an inferno, down here."

**BLUP! FSSS!** A drop of poison fell on the ground, sizzling.

The frightened guards began to flee passed Luffy, who still held a hot, panting, drooling, and sweaty Blizzard piggyback style.

"W-Warden Magellan, please wait!"

"Don't start fighting, yet!"

"Everyone, get as far away from here as you can! If you don't, the Warden's poisons will kill you all!"

_Poisons?_ Blizzard repeated in thought. _Then that means…oh, crap…!_

"Aw, come on," Luffy said as he looked up at Magellan. "You gotta be kidding. I was almost at the place where that really good smell came from!"

_I think food is the least of our problems, now, Luffy,_ Blizzard said.

"STRAW BOY!" Bon Clay cried. "WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T FIGHT HIM!"

"What?" Luffy asked. "But why not?"

"That's Magellan!" Bon Clay answered. "He's the Warden of Impel Down! He has the powers of the Venom-Venom Devil Fruit! You have to run, now! He's far too powerful and dangerous!"

"Venom-Venom?" Luffy repeated. "Oh! Like poison, right?"

"That's right, Straw Hat!" Magellan said. "For you to break into this impregnable prison…it's making a mockery of my reputation. I know why you and White Wolf are here…and I will NOT allow you to reach Portgas D. Ace!"

Luffy gasped, and then growled.

"So you're gonna get in my way, too?" he questioned.

"How in the hell did you get in here, anyway?" Magellan questioned. "No. Never mind. I'll get that information out of you, one way or another."

Luffy then remembered Hancock after he left her.

"_I wanted to help you and Blizzard more, but…"_

"Like hell, you will!" Luffy barked. "I'll drop dead before I tell you anything!"

_Please, don't say "dead",_ Blizzard thought.

"Get away from him, quick, Straw Boy!" Bon Clay ordered. "His body is one big poison factory! How can you even hope to defeat him if you can't even TOUCH him? We have to go back to the Pool of Blood and take a right! Forget the food! Let's just escape to Level 5!"

_I think I can agree to that,_ Blizzard thought. _Oh, good lord, it's HOT!_

"It's no use," Magellan said. "The stairway to Level 5 is guarded by the head jailer and the three Jailer Beasts."

XXX

Near the stairway to Level 5, Sadie was giving the three Jailer Beasts their favorite drink: blood.

XXX

"All the exits from this floor have been sealed," Magellan stated. "You have nowhere else to run!"

XXX

At the stairway leading up to Level 3, Hannyabal, as well as some guards, were standing watch.

XXX

"OH, NOOOOOO!" Bon Clay cried.

"Hydra!" Magellan cried.

**BLUP! BLUP!** Three dragon heads made of globs of pure poison began to form from Magellan's body.

_What the hell?_ Blizzard thought.

"What is that stuff?" Luffy questioned. "Poison? Blobs of pure poison?"

_Run, man!_ Blizzard thought. _RUN!_

The Hydra's heads came down on Luffy, Blizzard, and Bon Clay, and they jumped away as the poison beast attempted to bite down on them all.

The Hydra gave chase after them as they ran, and seeming unwittingly, the head on the right looked like it was going to attack the guards.

"No, Warden Magellan!" one cried. "Wait, please! We're still-"

**GLOOP!** It was too late. The dragon head swallowed two of the guards, and as they fell, they were covered in purple blobs of poison, and were screaming in agony.

"He's taking out his own people?" Luffy questioned.

_What kind of a man is he?_ Blizzard thought.

"The Hydra's poison is a paralyzing neurotoxin!" Bon Clay explained. "It causes excruciating pain throughout the entire body, FOLLOWED BY A SLOW, AGONIZING DEATH!"

A guard gasped as a poisoned one crawled toward him, reaching his hand out, asking- no, pleading for help.

"Help…me…!"

"Ah! Y-you stay away from me! Don't touch me!"

"The pain…please…the antidote…!"

"I warned you fools to stay out of the way," said Magellan.

"S-sorry, sir!" said one of the guards.

Meanwhile, one of the Hydra's head was still chasing Luffy and Blizzard.

"I'm…hungry…!" Luffy panted.

_Too hot…!_ thought Blizzard.

Just then, Luffy saw a way to escape. If he could reach that wooden rafter, then he and Blizzard might have a chance. Of course, Blizzard was going to have sit this out. There was no way the wolf-dog could stand a chance against Magellan in his current condition.

"Hang on tight, buddy," Luffy advised his dog.

Blizzard panted, but he did what Luffy told him to do and dug his claws into his shoulders, but not too deep.

"Here we go!" Luffy said as he hopped onto the rail, and then stretched his arms and grabbed onto the rafter. However, the rafter proved to be hot, too.

"YOWCH!" Luffy cried in pain. "HOT!"

**FWOO!** Luffy swung to the rafter…accidentally getting himself and Blizzard caught on fire.

"OOOH, THAT'S HOT! HOT, HOT, HOT!" Luffy cried.

**YIIPE!** Blizzard yowled, his tail set ablaze.

_MY TAIL! IT BURNS!_ he screams in his head.

**FWOOSH!** One of the Hydra's heads chased after Luffy, only to end up getting destroyed when it landed in the fire.

"TOO HOT!" Luffy cried. "IT BURNS!"

**TUMP!** Luffy and Blizzard landed on the rafter.

"Yes!" Luffy said as he put out the fire on his clothes and on Blizzard's tail. "One head down, two more to go!"

Blizzard panted, heavily. The heat was too much to bear.

Luffy knew he couldn't fight Magellan with Blizzard on his back like this. He had to find some higher ground, away from the heat, as well as away from Magellan's poison.

Looking up, Luffy saw an iron cage, suspended from the ceiling by a chain.

**WHUP!** Luffy jumped up to the cage and grabbed onto the chain.

"W-whoa!" he exclaimed as the cage swung back and forth from his weight. Once it stopped swinging, Luffy gently put Blizzard down. The cage wasn't as hot as the temperature below, but it was still quite hot. At least it was at a heat level that Blizzard could withstand.

"Okay, buddy," said Luffy. "You're gonna have to stay up here, okay? I'll come and get you down as soon as I'm finished with the poison guy."

As Luffy prepared to jump back down to face Magellan, **Chomp!** Blizzard suddenly bit down on the back of his vest.

Luffy turned to Blizzard with a confused expression, but the wolf-dog stared with pleading eyes.

**Whine~!** Blizzard whimpered.

_Luffy, please,_ he thought. _Don't go down there. Don't fight Magellan! For once, please, just run away! Just because you're made of rubber doesn't mean you're immune to poison! How do you plan to win against someone you can't even TOUCH?_

Luffy pulled his vest out of Blizzard's mouth, and then petted him on the head.

"I'll be right back, Blizzard," he said. "I promise."

_Luffy, no!_ Blizzard thought. _Please, you don't know what you're getting yourself into! You'll get KILLED! Don't you get it?_

Blizzard's inner pleas fell on deaf ears. **WHUP!** Luffy jumped back down to the wooden rafter to face Magellan…alone.

_You idiot,_ Blizzard thought. _I know that you can't hear my thoughts…but why can't you understand that I'm trying to protect you?_

**Tmp!** Luffy landed on the rafter, prepared to face the poisonous warden, but when he did, he saw something rather odd.

**Munch! Munch! Munch!** Magellan seemed to be chewing on something, like bubble gum.

**BLOOP!** He blew what like a light blue bubble from his mouth, and then, **TOOF!** He spat it at Luffy…or more rather the flames that he was standing over.

"Chloro Ball," Magellan said.

"Huh?" Luffy muttered.

**BOOM!** The Chloro Ball exploded into a huge cloud of gas.

"WAAAHH!" Luffy screamed.

**KLANK! KLANK! TUMP!** He jumped off the rafter's chains and then landed on a higher ledge, but he noticed that something seemed wrong. His vision was blurry, and he felt his nose starting to run.

XXX

Down below, the guards were scrambling to put on their gas masks.

"Stay away from the center!" cried one. "That's where the Warden is fighting!"

XXX

Inside the prison cells, the prisoners were also suffering from the gas. They had runny noses and were sneezing like crazy, and their eyes were welling up with tears. They had to use to their shirts to cover their mouths to save themselves from the gas

"Tear-sneeze gas," said one of the inmates.

**ATCHOO!** One sneezed.

"AAAH! It's one of Magellan's poisonous gasses!" cried another.

"Why in the hell are they fighting here?"

**ATCHOO!**

"They said something about intruders. How much worse can this level get?"

Mr. 1 just sat in silence, the gas surprisingly not bothering him.

XXX

**ATCHOO! AAATCHOO!** Luffy was currently having a sneeze attack, and his eyes were teary and itchy.

"What da hell's going on?" Luffy questioned, his nose runny. "My eyes won't dop watering and dey itch like cazy! What is dis?" **ATCHOO!** "I gan't fight like dis! I gan't see anyting!" **ATCHOO!**

Despite being higher above the battle, Blizzard was also suffering.

**ATCHOO! ATCHOO! ATCHOO!** The wolf-dog sneezed and rubbed at his itchy eyes.

_Damn!_ he thought. _I can't see where Luffy or Magellan is, and I can't smell where they are, either! I can't go down there, or the heat could kill me! What am I gonna do?_

**SHLUP! GLUB-GLUB!** Magellan completely engulfed himself in liquid poison, and the Hydra suddenly stopped moving.

**ATCHOOO!** Luffy sneezed.

"Huh?" he muttered. "What happened?" **ATCHOO!** "The dragon stopped."

"Venom ROAD!" Magellan exclaimed.

**SWUP! SHLOOP!** The Warden seemed to swim through the Hydra's body, and then, **POP!** He jumped out of one of the Hydra's mouths and towards Luffy, and **SLUNK! SHUNK!** He pulled off his horns, revealing his two pigtails.

"Huh?" Luffy muttered.

**WHOOSH! WHOOSH!** Magellan put the horns on his hands, like a pair of gloves, and then tried to swipe at Luffy, who jumped back and ducked to dodge.

"Whoa! Ah!" Luffy yelped as he evaded Magellan's attacks. "Yikes!" **ATCHOO!** He sneezed, again. "Watch it! Whoa!" **ATCHOO!**

As Luffy looked up, he saw that Magellan was about to strike, once more.

**THWAM!** He drove his horn-glove into the wall.

Luckily, Luffy ducked in the nick of time.

Blizzard happened to see this from his perch atop the cage, and sighed in relief.

_Thank god,_ Blizzard thought. _At least he knew to dodge._

**FSSSSSS~!**

Behind Luffy, the wall started to dissolve from Magellan's blow.

"Whoa," Luffy said. "He melted the wall!"

**ATCHOO!** He sneezed, again.

Magellan pulled back his arm, prepared to deliver another blow, and when he threw his arm forward, **THWAK!** **WHAM!** Luffy caught the side of the glove, just when the horn's tip was mere inches from his face, with his foot and kicked Magellan's hand into the ground. However, this caused the crack, and Luffy started to fall, right towards the fire below!

_LUFFY!_ Blizzard cried in thought.

Just when it seemed that he was going to meet his demise…

"Gum-Gum STAMP!"

**WHUP!** Luffy stretched his leg out and stamped against a wall, using it to rebound and land on lower ground. He gasped and panted as he landed on his back with a **THUD!**

Blizzard heaved another sigh of relief, but he knew he couldn't relax, just yet. If only he could go down and help Luffy, but he also knew that because of the heat, he'd be nothing more than a hindrance. All he could do was just sit and watch as Luffy did battle with Magellan, but even doing that seemed to be painful for the white wolf-dog hybrid.

However, as much as he even hated to so much as think about it…Blizzard was beginning to lose his faith in Luffy…and that was something he was beginning to hate himself for.

_Please, Luffy,_ Blizzard thought. _Please…_

Nearby, hiding behind a wall, Bon Clay was watching everything. He hid himself behind the wall, once more, and began to tear up.

_Magellan is a man who can control the world's most dangerous prisoners!_ Bon Clay thought. _He's the true master of this Hell! You'll have to make you choice, now, Bon Clay! You have to make a run for it! There's no way you can win this!_

**TMP-TMP-TMP-TMP!** Bon Clay started to run with tears cascading from his eyes.

_The odds are clearly against you!_ he thought. _I must run! Forgive me…forgive me, Straw Hat! Please, forgive me!_

With that, Bon Clay regrettably ran away, perhaps never to be seen, again.

XXX

Nearby the stairs that led up to Level 3, Buggy and Mr. 3 were plotting on how to escape, and were spying on Hannyabal and the guards that are with him from the stone rafters.

"Since Magellan is fighting with Straw Hat," Mr. 3 began, "this is our chance!"

"Are you outta your mind?" Buggy questioned. "We're hopelessly outnumbered!"

"Think about it, you fool!" Mr. 3 said. "It's not about numbers! They're too busy focusing their attention on preventing Straw Hat from going down to the bottom floor. The Jailer Beasts and the head jailer are positioned in the passage there, so this place is the most lightly guarded! Now's our chance! The security will get tighter from here on out! This is our best bet to get out of this nightmare! Besides, Straw Hat's bound to lose the fight, eventually! We gotta up to Level 3 before he does!"

The two looked down at Hannyabal, who had just picked his nose and flicked his…find off his pinky finger.

"Say," Buggy said. "You might have a point there! I never heard that the Vice-Warden, Hannyabal, has any Devil Fruit powers. If I can knock out his men my Muggy Ball, then we might have a chance at taking him, too!"

"That's right!" Mr. 3 agreed. "Now, come on! I can't stand this heat, any longer!"

"Let's go!" Buggy declared.

The two escapees jumped from the rafter, prepared to face Hannyabal on their own…but they would soon be in for quite a surprise.

XXX

Blizzard watched in horror as Magellan approached Luffy, who had just gotten back up on his feet, but he was exhausted.

"So," said Magellan. "Do you still refuse to surrender, Straw Hat?"

**Huff! Huff! Huff!** Luffy panted.

Blizzard didn't really know what to think, at this point. He didn't know if he should inwardly tell Luffy to give up or to keep fighting.

The next move Luffy made, however, gave both Magellan and Blizzard his answer.

"Gear…SECOND!"

**FSSSS~!** Luffy's body turned pink, and sweat started to evaporate from him.

"I WILL rescue Ace," he said to Magellan, "and we WILL get outta here, together! I can't die, yet! Not without seeing him, first, at least! I won't let you kill Ace!" He then raised his hands. "But I know this…I can't win if I don't hit you…so…if I' gonna win this…I might as well sacrifice my arms, right here and now!"

_Sacrifice his arms?_ Blizzard thought before he gasped. _Wait…does he mean he's gonna…?_

**SWIP!** Luffy stretched both of his arms behind himself.

"Gum…GUUUUUUUUM…"

"What's with that smoke coming off your body?" Magellan questioned.

**WOOF! WOOF! **Blizzard barked.

_No, Luffy!_ Blizzard thought. _DON'T DO IT!_

"…JET…BAZOOKA!"

**KABAM!** Luffy landed a double fisted punch into Magellan's stomach.

**KOFF!** The Warden fell to his knees, coughing up a small amount of blood.

Luffy, however, had gotten his arms covered in poison.

Blizzard just stared, horrified.

_Luffy,_ he thought. _What in the hell have you done?_

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

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><p>Sorry I took so long updating!<p>

Review, please!


	12. He's My Friend!

**Ch. 12- "He's My Friend!"**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>On Level 4, near the passage to Level 3...<p>

"Hmph!" Hannyabal scoffed. "Such idiocy!"

_Although,_ he thought, _if they had just gone ahead and passed through and made a riot, then it would've made Magellan look bad._

Down on the floor, Buggy and Mr. 3 lay there, bloody, battered, and bruised.

There was smoke all around due to a surprise attack from Buggy's Muggy Ball, but Hannyabal managed to take care of it. The guards were just now pulling themselves together.

_I told them they could pass,_ Hannyabal thought, _but these fools just came charging right at me._

"This is the passage to Level 3!" said one of the guards. "We've suffered casualties due to a bomb attack. Yes. We've successfully captured Buggy and Mr. 3!"

"Unh…" Buggy moaned. "H-he…he was stronger than we thought! That dumb-ass Hannyabal is too strong!"

"P…please!" Mr. 3 wheezed. "Don't torture me! If I'm going to be tortured…then…I'd rather bite my tongue off…and die, here and now!" He stuck his tongue out. "See? I'm going to do it…!"

XXX

Meanwhile, with Bony Clay, on the same level…

"OUTTA MY WAY, BASTARDS!"

**WHAM! BAM! THWAK!** Bon Clay was running through the Inferno Hell as fast as he could, taking out any guards in his way.

"OUTTA MY WAY, I SAID!" he shouted.

"Don't let him escape!" cried a guard.

**THWAK!** Bon kicked him out of his way.

"DOWN-AND-OUT SWAN SOIREE!"

As Bon Clay ran, he couldn't help but think…

_There's no way in hell that I can stand up to such a beast! I never fight battles I know I can't win! There's definitely a 200% chance I'll DIE if I go up against him!_

As he thought this, Bon's tears came down at full force; tears of regret for leaving Luffy and Blizzard behind.

_I must…run!_ he thought. _Mustn't turn back! The only hope I have is to run for my life!_

XXX

Blizzard stared down at the scene before him from his perch, absolutely horrified. On one side, Magellan, down on bended knee. On the other, Luffy, his arms covered with the Warden's poison.

Of all the reckless that Luffy had gone and done…this, by far, had to be the most reckless of all.

_Why?_ Blizzard thought, questioningly. _Why, Luffy? Why did you have to be so damn reckless? WHY?_

Luffy suddenly fell to his knees and began to scream in pain.

The poison was immediately taking effect.

Magellan, on the other hand, was beginning to stand up to his feet.

"How surprising," said the Warden. "I never thought that you'd be able to bring me to my knees."

**KOFF! KOFF!** He coughed up a little blood.

"But then again," Magellan continued, "even a mouse can be formidable when it's cornered. No matter. Now, your arms are drenched in so much poison that it's enough to kill you."

Blizzard's eyes widened. If there was one thing he didn't want to hear, then THAT would definitely be it.

_Just…just stop!_ the wolf-dog thought. _For once, just give up and run away while you can! PLEASE, LUFFY!_

**GLOOP! GLOOP!** Luffy's hands were dripping with poison. He felt his arms starting to go numb, but he wasn't finished, yet. Poison or no poison, he was determined to get passed Magellan and rescue Ace, no matter what.

**Huff! Huff!** Luffy panted.

"Gum-Gum…"

"You must be in terrible pain," Magellan commented. "You have my condolences."

**WHUP! WHUP!** Luffy threw both arms back.

"Twin…"

"Poison BLOWFISH!"

**SWOOO…** Magellan took in a deep breath.

"JET PISTOL!"

**BABOOM!** Luffy threw both fists into Magellan's stomach.

**PLUMP!** Magellan blew up, like a big balloon, and then **BLOOP!** He spat out balls of poison at Luffy, who jumped out of the way. **WHUP!**

**PLOOP!** The poison balls hit the spot where Luffy once stood, instead.

Luffy reappeared behind Magellan, arm cocked back.

"Gum-Gum…"

Magellan turned to face Luffy.

"Hydra!"

"JET PISTOL!"

**POW! GLOOP!** Luffy ended up hitting the inside of the Hydra's mouth. **SPLAT! **Some more of the poison got on Luffy's arms. He jumped away, almost stumbling as he did.

**KOFF! KOFF!** Luffy started to cough. As a thick haze started to come around him.

"What the-?" Luffy muttered. "Fog?"

It was not fog, but it was actually Magellan's breath forming a thick poison cloud around Luffy that formed into a huge spider.

"Poison Spider Cloud!" Magellan exclaimed.

Up above, Blizzard watched from the top of the cage with worry as the cloud began to cover both Luffy and Magellan.

_W-what's going on down there?_ Blizzard questioned in thought. _I can't see anything through that cloud!_

**KOFF! KOFF! KOFF!** Luffy coughed as the poison began to come into his lungs. He looked around and saw what he thought was Magellan, but he couldn't tell because his vision was getting blurry. He attempted to rub his eyes with his arms, forgetting that there was already poison on them.

_No!_ Blizzard cried out in thought, having seen that through the cloud. _Don't rub your eyes, you fool!_

"Heh-heh…!" Magellan snickered. "What's wrong, Straw Hat? Is your vision going? Can you hear me?"

Luffy looked down at his hands after he finished trying to clear his vision with it. They felt numb, and his body started to shake.

"Your arms are totally useless, now," said Magellan.

**THUD!** Luffy fell to his knees.

"Ugh…!" he groaned.

"The poison will soon…take everything from you," Magellan finished.

Luffy looked up at the Warden with a hateful glare.

XXX

Down where Ace and Jimbei are being held…

"Hey, guard!" Ace called as he struggled against his bonds. "Tell me the truth. What's going on up there, huh? Please, tell me!"

The two guards just stared at Ace.

"Nothing," said the average-sized one.

"Nothing, at all," said the taller one.

Ace growled.

XXX

"Gum-Gum STAMP!"

**SHOOM!** Luffy stretched his leg out, but because he was nearly blind from Magellan's poison, he missed the Warden by a foot, but he wasn't giving up.

"STAMP! STAMP! STAMP! STAMP!"

**WOOSH! THWAM! KRASH!** Luffy began to kick his outstretched leg, wildly, but he continued to miss Magellan, completely.

Just watching this was torture for poor Blizzard.

_Luffy…!_ Blizzard thought as he started to tear up.

"You're mental strength is quite impressive," Magellan said.

"RRAAAAAGH!" Luffy roared as he kicked, once again. However, he ended up hitting another wall, instead, and after that, he ended up getting his leg on fire when he hit some flames.

"AAAAHH!" Luffy screamed. "IT BURNS! HOT!"

**GLUP! GLUP!** Magellan stood as his Hydra began to take form, again.

"Haven't you had enough?" he questioned Luffy, who was still furiously kicking around.

"AAAAAAHH!" he screamed in pain and frustration…before everything went black.

XXX

Dreadful.

That was the only word Blizzard could use that best described the situation.

Simply dreadful.

Magellan stood, tall and triumphant…over a defeated Luffy, who was completely drenched in the Warden's poison.

_No…_ Blizzard thought. _No…! This isn't happening! This is NOT happening!_

"This is your punishment, intruder," Magellan stated. "You will suffer…for at least 24 hours…and then…go to Hell."

With that, he turned to leave.

"You've absorbed more poison than you could possibly take. No antidote can save you, now."

"A…Ace…" Luffy muttered, the poison oozing off of his body and some of it dripping into his mouth.

**Gulp…!** Blizzard swallowed the lump in his throat as his eyes started to overflow with tears. He just wish that this was all a nightmare and he'd wake up from it, soon, but…he knew it was all too real.

_Damn…!_ Blizzard thought.

XXX

Magellan was headed up the stairs to his office, a hand on his stomach.

It was that time, again.

As he climbed the stairs, he saw that the guards were waiting for him.

"Warden Magellan! Well done, sir!"

"That was a good fight, sir!"

"What do you want us to do with 'Straw Hat' Luffy and 'White Wolf' Blizzard?"

"It's only a matter of time before Straw Hat dies," Magellan said, "but we can't just leave him and White Wolf there. White Wolf maybe powerless, here, but in Level 5, that's a different story. As soon as you get him down from one the ceiling cages, put him in shackles and throw him and Straw Hat into the central tower on Level 5!"

**Huff! Huff!** A guard panted as he ran up to Magellan from behind.

"W-Warden Magellan! There seems to have been a botched escape attempt in the passage to Level 3!"

"What?" Magellan questioned. "What happened?"

"We're not exactly sure, yet!"

XXX

Moments later, in a prison cell located in a huge, frozen tundra…

"Hey! Hey! You okay?"

"There's no point in trying to wake him. He's long dead."

There was a prisoner inside one of the cells…frozen solid in a sitting position…dead as a doornail.

"So…is he really dead? Or is he preserved for the future?"

"Ha-ha! Don't talk stupid!"

In another cell, a prisoner was standing up, when suddenly, **plop!** Something fell onto the frozen, icy cold floor.

It was his finger, dark purple and glazed with ice.

"Ah, crap!" the inmate cursed. "Would ya look at that? My finger fell off!"

The fellow inmate laughed at his expense.

"You've got frostbite!" he said. "You're doomed!"

**KREK…KRUNCH!** Another inmate was trying to eat a bite of bread, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't. The bread was as hard as a rock.

"DAMN IT ALL!" he cursed as he tossed the bread out through the bar. "This is ridiculous! This bread is too freaking frozen to eat!"

This place was Level 5, the Frozen Hell, the location where Luffy was trying to get to.

Ace certainly wasn't here.

"Hey!" said one of the prisoners. "Check it out! New guy!"

"And he's got a dog, with him, too."

The guards walked through the Frozen Hell, and being dragged along behind them were Luffy, still poisoned and lying in a sled, and Blizzard, who had been chained up and muzzled. Blizzard growled as he struggled to get away, hoping to escape with Luffy and find antidote, but the guards proved to be stronger.

If he wasn't so worried about Luffy, right now, he'd use his Haki to make this guards faint, and then he'd attempt to escape and find an antidote for the poison.

"C'mon, you dumb dog! Let's go!" shouted one of the guards.

"Your wasting your strength, White Wolf!" added another. "You and Straw Hat know that you will never escape!"

_You're wrong!_ Blizzard thought. _We'll get out of this somehow! We always find a way! Just watch!_

"Hey! Kid! What's your name?" asked one of the inmates.

"How much was your bounty, newcomer?" asked another.

"Did that mutt have a bounty, too?" questioned one more.

"Oh, wait," said another inmate. "Look at the kid. He's definitely a goner. He's gotten himself the Poison Punishment. No one's ever survived it. I almost feel sorry for the poor bastard."

XXX

Meanwhile, by the passage connecting Level 4 and 3, Magellan stared at the scene before with shock and disbelief.

"What…what is the meaning of this?" he questioned. "Hannyabal! How in the HELL did all these guards did beaten WHEN YOU WERE HERE WITH THEM?"

On the floor, many guards lay defeated, including Hannyabal.

**WHAP!** Magellan grabbed the Vice-Warden by his throat and picked him up off the floor.

"WAKE UP, YOU FOOL!" Magellan snapped. "You didn't answer me! What in the HELL happened here?"

"GAH!" Hannyabal gagged. "W-Warden! Wait! Please, let go!"

**THUD!** Magellan threw him back down.

"Oof!" Hannyabal cried. "I-I'm sorry, sir! I let my guard down! Forgive me!"

"I don't want to be tortured!" cried Mr. 3, who had been tied down with rope like Buggy.

"Damn that swan-guy!" Buggy cursed. "He ran off and left us hanging!"

"We were attacked by some freak who knew karate," said Hannyabal who was down on his knees, bowing to Magellan for mercy. "I was caught completely caught off guard!"

"Enough of your feeble excuses," Magellan ordered. "Did he head to the upper levels, then?"

"Warden," said a guard. "That prisoner is a former member of Crocodile's Baroque Works. The man called himself 'Mr. 2'! Oh! I mean 'the Swan'…!"

"I don't give a damn what he is," Magellan stated.

"He's a prisoner of Level 3," the guard proclaimed. "It's only a matter of time until he's captured, again!"

"And what about the riot on Level 2?" Magellan inquired. "Has it been quelled, yet?"

"For the most part."

"Deploy all the guards here on Level 4 to Level 3. Put them under Miss Sadie's command. And have her release the Jailer Beasts, while you're at it! I'll let her deal with them."

"And what about these two prisoners, sir?"

"Do whatever the hell you want them. Throw them away, torture them, kill them, I won't care!"

Magellan turned to walk away.

"I want this mess cleaned up, on the double," he said. "Impel Down must be restored to its proper state! Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to my…ahem…enclosed space."

_The diarrhea's back, again,_ he thought.

"Hey!" Hannyabal barked to the guards. "On your feet! Find that last fugitive, right away!"

"Y-yes, sir! Right away, sir!"

The guards began to stagger to their feet.

"And what should we with these two, Vice-Warden?" asked one of them.

"Take these fools to the interrogation room," said Hannyabal. "I have some questions that I want to ask them. They're in my custody, now."

"Understood, sir."

XXX

**THUD! THWUD!** Buggy and Mr. 3 were soon thrown into the interrogation room.

"Here you are, Vice-Warden, sir," said the guard.

"Uh-hmm…" Hannyabal hummed in approval.

**SLAM! CHAK!** He slammed the door behind himself and locked it.

"**Huff…Huff…!**" Buggy panted. "You…you saved us!"

"We've escaped torture," said Mr. 3. "Now what do we do?"

"There's only thing to do!" Hannyabal exclaimed. "You two have got to get out of here, right now…and save Straw Hat and Wolfy!"

**WHUP! POOF!** Hannyabal touched his face with his left hand, and it is revealed that he was not Hannyabal, but Bon Clay in disguise!

"What?" Buggy shouted. "Save Straw Hat and that mutt of his? You're nuts! He got covered in Magellan's poison and he and that dog of his were taken to Level 5! There's no way you can save either of them! We'd be throwing out lives away for nothing! It's a dog's death, I'm telling you!"

"Well," Bon Clay began as he took Hannyabal's headdress, "I don't care if I die like a dog or like a queen! The moment I turned my back on Magellan, Wolfy, and Straw Boy…my life was put on hold. I ran away because if I hadn't, then all three of us would've been killed. If Straw Boy is still alive by any chance, then I swore that I'd go back and save him and Wolfy, even if it costs me my very life! That's what I promised when I ran away!"

"Well, that's all well and good," Buggy remarked, "but who cares? You're free as a bird, now! Why go back just to get yourself killed, now?"

"Because…" Bon Clay began before he turned to Buggy, "he's my friend! That's all the reason I need and I'm sticking with it!"

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

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><p>Been working on this for three days. THREE, people!<p>

Review, please! :D


	13. The Frozen Hell

**Ch. 13- The Frozen Hell**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>"Are you SERIOUS?" asked "Hannyabal". "Err…I mean- what did you say?"<p>

In Impel Down's infirmary, Bon Clay, disguised as Hannyabal, was trying to convince the doctor's to get an antidote for Luffy, who had absorbed too many of Magellan's poisons and was now being held up in Level 5 with Blizzard. However, he was soon met with a shock.

The doctors couldn't do anything to save him.

"No one in this world has ever survived after being exposed to so many types of Warden Magellan's poisons," said one doctor. "We can make antidotes for one poison, but for multiple poisons…it's just impossible!"

"And yet you people call yourselves DOCTORS?" asked Bon Clay/Hannyabal. "This is not a joke, you know! Uh, I mean…this is absolutely absurd! You have to do SOMETHING for him! We're supposed to hand both 'Straw Hat' Luffy and 'White Wolf' Blizzard to the Marines alive!"

"True," said the doctor, "but injecting Straw Hat with drugs might only hasten his death! I'm afraid there's nothing we can do, Vice-Warden. 'Straw Hat' Luffy is beyond saving!"

Bon Clay/Hannyabal gasped.

XXX

A moment later, Bon Clay came back outside, back to normal, and gripping Hannyabal's headdress in despair.

What was he going to do? Luffy was going to die, soon, and all hope the swan had of saving him seemed lost. What kind of a friend was he?

"You see?" Buggy questioned. "Straw Hat's done for! Forget about him!"

"I've never seen anyone fight Magellan and live to tell the tale," said Mr. 3, who was practically melting from the heat. "It would take a miracle."

"That's it…!" Bon Clay said with a gasp.

"Huh?" Buggy and Mr. 3 muttered. "What's it?"

"A miracle!" said Bon Clay. "That's what we need, and the very person who can make it happen is here in Impel Down! Queen Iva, the Miracle Worker!"

He stood up with his newfound hope.

"Only he can save people that no doctors can," Bon Clay continued. "Hell, he's even saved dying countries! He's the legendary hero of the queen world! Iva, the Super-Star! And now, it is up to this swan to find him!"

"Who?" Buggy and Mr. 3 questioned, still confused.

XXX

In the staff stair way of Level 4, Bon Clay, disguised as Hannyabal, again, with Buggy and Mr. 3 standing behind him, all three wearing coats and the latter two wearing handcuffs.

"To Level 5, sir?" asked a guard.

"Yes," said Bon Clay/Hannyabal. "These criminals are to be imprisoned in the freezing cold!"

Irritated Buggy and Mr. 3 just remained silent. Why did Bon Clay have to go and drag them into this? As far as they were concerned, both Luffy and Blizzard could die a slow, painful death and it wouldn't bother them none.

Soon, Bon Clay/Hannyabal, Buggy, Mr. 3, and a couple of guards were descending the stairs into Level 5.

_Here we come,_ Bon Clay thought. _Hang in there, Straw Hat!_

"Keep moving, scumbag," ordered a guard as he pushed Buggy forward.

As much as Buggy wanted to slice his neck open, he didn't want to get in anymore trouble than he was, now.

_Well, here's a list of prisoners on Level 5,_ thought Bon Clay/Hannyabal. _Monkey D. Luffy…Blizzard…Pandaman…hmm….well, this is odd. The greatest of all queens, Emporio Ivankov's name is on the list, and yet…it's been crossed out. I wonder why. Was he released? …or could it be…he's been executed?_

"Excuse me," said Bon Clay/Hannyabal, "but has this prisoner been released?"

"Ivankov?" a guard questioned. "There was that incident that happened a few years ago. Don't you remember, Vice-Warden?"

"Huh?" Bon Clay/Hannyabal muttered. "O-oh, right! That incident! Of course! W-what exactly happened, again? Refresh my memory."

"In front of these prisoners?" asked the guard.

"Just tell me!" the "Vice-Warden" ordered.

"Well, once in a while," the guard explained, "prisoners go missing from Impel Down. It's clear that they haven't escaped. These are prisoners who are incapable of moving, but suddenly, they vanish. They call it…the Demon's Invitation. They're very unexplainable disappearances, sir. The prisoners always live in fear of it. They think they've been dragged down to the gates of Hell. That why they gave it that name."

Bon Clay/Hannyabal, Buggy, and Mr. 3 all shivered at the thought.

"People…disappear?" Mr. 3 repeated under his breath.

As they neared the door that led into Level 5, the air began to grow cold, and Buggy and Mr. 3 wrapped their arms around themselves for warmth.

"Brrr~!" Buggy whispered, shivering. "It's freezing cold down here, and the door isn't even opened yet, for Gold Roger's sake!"

"Plus, we're b-both wearing coats…!" Mr. 3 said, also shivering.

"We've arrived," said the guard as the group stood in front of the door that led into Level 5. "Beware of the frost and the Wolf Unit, sir. Now, we'll just take your belongings."

"Uh…I'm sorry…?" Bon Clay/Hannyabal questioned.

"Give us your weapons and your coat, sir!" said the guard, who held his hands out. "There's not a chance in Hell that we could actually imitate this custom of yours! Although, you're absolutely right! It really does put the prisoners in their place."

"W-what?" Bon Clay/Hannyabal asked.

"You know!" said the other guard. "That's why you always enter the Frozen Hell unarmed and half-naked, too! We all respect you a very great deal for it, Vice-Warden Hannyabal, sir!"

Bon Clay/Hannyabal was stricken with disbelief. The real Hannyabal was either really brave or just a regular idiot to go into such a freezing cold place with just his trousers and nothing else!

Buggy and Mr. 3 were snickering behind the unfortunate man, but soon, they too would learn of "what's good for the goose is good for the gander".

"We'll be taking the prisoners' coats, too," stated one of the guards.

Buggy and Mr. 3 gasped.

XXX

**SLAM!**

The door to the Frozen Hell had slammed shut behind Bon Clay/Hannyabal, Buggy, and Mr. 3, who were now being exposed to the subzero temperatures and were soon covered with frost.

"Please, be careful, sir!" said the guard.

"Transponder Snails can't stand these temperatures, so all communications are moot!" said another. "So, please, take the greatest care while you're here!"

With that, the trio were left to fend for themselves in this frozen tundra of a prison, and all they could do was think about the freezing cold.

"It's…SO COLD!" Buggy shouted. "It's so cold, I already feel frostbitten!"

**Grrr…!**

The sound of vicious growling is heard, forcing the three to look up. It was then that they saw them: a pack of four wolves with white fur, like Blizzard's, only with shorter ears and these red eyes with orange swirls around the pupils and their tongues dangling out of their jaws, giving them a savage, demented, bloodthirsty visage.

"1…2…3…4…" Buggy counted the wolves. "Hey…aren't they the Wolf Unit? I thought they'd be up in the Beast Hell!"

"I…I don't know…" Bon Clay/Hannyabal stammered, shivering.

"I certainly do!" Mr. 3 exclaimed. "The reason why the Wolf Unit is down here on Level 5 and not up on Level 2 is because if they were ever set loose up there, they'd not only eat devour all the other beasts and the prisoners up there, but the Sphinx and the Basilisk, too! That's just how powerful and ferocious they truly are!"

**Grrr…!** The wolves growled, baring their fangs and licking their chops.

"In that case," said Bon Clay/Hannyabal, "then get ready to fight! For Straw Hat and Wolfy!"

Bon Clay/Hannyabal turned back and saw, to his shock, that Buggy and Mr. 3 were running away just as the Wolf Unit began to charge.

"W-wait! Where are you two going?" Bon Clay/Hannyabal cried after them. "I said to fight, not run away!"

"You wanna get ripped to shreds, then go right ahead, you fool!" Buggy called.

"You're on your own!" Mr. 3 declared.

Bon Clay/Hannyabal turned just as the wolves jumped at him, preparing to tear him apart.

XXX

Meanwhile, in the Central Tower Cell of the Frozen Hell…

"AAAAAAAAAAHH~!"

…the sound of agonized screams, followed by wheezing and coughing, filled the air.

Luffy lied on the floor of the cell, panting, coughing up blood, and writhing as the poison that coated his body was absorbed through his skin, sending him in excruciating pain.

"AAAAAAAAGGH!" he screamed, again.

Blizzard sat, chained against the wall, his mouth muzzled and shackles around his neck and paws. His ears lay flat against his head, and his eyes remained hooded, but if one were to look closely, they could see the now frozen traces of tears that were trickling down his furry cheeks, and even after that, they continued to fall.

For Blizzard, just sitting here, watching and listening to his master's cries of agony…it was more than the wolf-dog's heart could take.

"What a fine mess this turned out be," said one of the six other inmate who Luffy and Blizzard happened to be sharing the cell with. "Do we really have to sit here and watch this kid die? I mean, seriously! Look at the damn mutt he brought with him! Even for him, this is painful to watch!"

Luffy rolled over onto his stomach, and tried so hard to move, but his whole entire body felt numb, not just from the poison, but from the freezing cold, as well.

"It…it hurts…!" Luffy choked out as he attempted to get back up on his feet, again, only to fail and end up on his elbows and knees with his head nearly touching the floor.

He started to remember why he and Blizzard came here in the first place.

_Blizzard and I have to go save Ace!_ Luffy cried in his memory.

_You're making a rather reckless decision,_ said Nyon. _A terrible war is about to break out, and you and your wolf will be right in the middle of it. You two would be like ants diving into a monsoon and will only end up getting swept away._

Luffy made another attempt to stand up, and this time, he succeeded, even though his body was swaying. His vision blurred, and it made it difficult to see if there were a set of bars in front of him or not. However, he wasn't going to give up. Not now, not ever.

If Luffy died, here and now, then there was no way that Ace would be saved, and we was definitely not going to let even death get in his way.

Slowly, Luffy stumbled toward the bars which he could not see, and **WHAM!** He banged his crown against them. **FWUMP!** He fell back down to the floor, again, wheezing and coughing, much to Blizzard's already pained heart. Still, Luffy refused to back down.

**WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!** Luffy bashed his skull against the bars, over and over, as if in a futile attempt to break free, while Blizzard and the inmates were forced to watch.

The inmates…even Blizzard, himself, just wished that Death would come and claim Luffy's soul, just to put him out of his misery, the latter hating himself for even thinking such a thing.

He just didn't want to watch his best friend suffer and struggle like this.

_Stop it,_ Blizzard thought, tearfully. _Just…just stop it…! Please…! I'm begging you…! Please stop…Luffy…!_

**THUD!** Luffy dropped onto his stomach, again, coughing and panting heavily, but even still, he refused to give up.

"A…Ace…!"

Luffy staggered to his feet, once more, and then stumbled towards the bars before banging his head against them, one last time. He tried to use the bars to support himself, but he no longer had the strength.

**FWUMP!** Luffy fell, again.

"Just give it up, already, kid," said the giant man in the shape of a chestnut. "No one's ever survived taking in that much poison! You're a dead man."

Blizzard just sat in silence. He didn't even have any thoughts to counter the inmate's words.

He had lost whatever hope he had.

"You've probably gone blind, by now, haven't ya?" asked the giant. "Can you still hear me, at least? Just shut your trap and accept your fate."

"NO!" Luffy shouted. "I'M NOT GONNA DIE! NOT HERE! NOT NOW!"

He gasped.

"I'm not gonna die until I've saved Ace! You hear me?"

**Gulp.** Blizzard swallowed.

"Listen, kid," said one of the inmates. "There's no point in trying to survive when you don't have a chance!" He looked over to Blizzard, who was still sitting in the corner, shivering from both the cold and his sadness.

"I mean, look at your dog! Even he's given up on you! He knows you're about to die, and he's accepted it. You should do the same."

"I said NO!" Luffy cried. "I'm not giving up, dammit!"

"Do you hear yourself?" asked another prisoner. "You're saying that you wanna save somebody, even though there's no hope left for you? Who is this guy, your friend or something?"

"No," Luffy answered. "He's my big brother."

"Humph," one of the inmates grunted. "Friend. Brother. It doesn't matter. In this place, you gotta look out for number one!"

"No one will save you, here," proclaimed another inmate. "Here, you're alone."

"In a sea of fire," said the giant inmate, "you have to walk all over the guy next to you in order to survive. When you come face-to-face with the beasts, then you have to use the guy next to you as bait while you escape. If you spend your time worrying about others…then you'll drop dead. In other words, cut the 'I'm-trying-to-save-somebody' bull crap and just die, already! It makes me nauseous!"

Luffy coughed and panted, his eyes having rolled into the back of his head.

It seemed like this truly is the end for our hero…

Or maybe not.

**Tmp…tmp…tmp…!** Blizzard's ears twitched at the sound of footsteps, and at first, he wasn't going to look up, believing that it was one of the guards, but then, he heard panting, followed by the clamor of the inmates.

"Check it out. There's someone coming!"

"It doesn't look like he's a guard or one of the staff!"

"Look! He's not wearing a shirt!"

"Is he naked or something?"

**KOFF! KOFF!** Luffy coughed up blood, and then weakly rolled over onto his back, his body shuddering.

Suddenly, Blizzard's nose twitched, and he caught the familiar scent of make-up and swan feathers. The wolf-dog threw his head up, and then looked outside through the bars, his eyes wide and gleaming, again.

_C…could it be…?_ Blizzard thought. _Bon Clay?_

Indeed, it was. Bon Clay, now returned to normal, stood before the bars of the cell. His body seemed frostbitten, and Blizzard could see these open wounds along the man's body, which he assumed were bite wounds, his nose drippings were frozen solid, and in his hand…was a ring of keys.

"S…Straw Hat…! W…Wolfy!" Bon Clay said, shivering and teeth chattering. "I…I have…c…c…come to s…save you! In…the name of friendship!"

Blizzard's eyes began to brim with tears, again, this time with newfound hope.

The inmates, however, just looked completely shocked.

"Who is this guy?"

"Why the hell is he covered in all that blood?"

Bon Clay panted and shivered from the bitter cold, but he managed to say these words…

"Forgive me…for abandoning you both, back there!"

The prisoners just stared in disbelief, while Blizzard wagged his tail.

"Just who are you?" asked one of inmates.

"A friend," Bon Clay replied, bluntly. "Straw Hat…I promise you…I will NOT let you die!"

A moment later, Bon Clay had unlocked the cell, put Luffy in the same sled that the jailers brought him into the Frozen Hell with, unlocked Blizzard's shackles and muzzle, and then proceeded to wander into the deep freeze with the latter tailing behind him, mentally asking Luffy for forgiveness for doubting him.

It was then that the prisoners realized something: Bon Clay had accidentally left the keys behind.

"Never thought about trying to escape this place, before," contemplated a prisoner.

XXX

Bon Clay and Blizzard wandered throughout the Frozen Hell, dragging Luffy along, and asking any of the prisoners if they knew about the person that the former was looking for: Ivankov.

"Iva?" repeated a prisoner questioningly. "Never heard of the guy. Who the hell are you, anyway?

"Emporio Ivankov, eh?" inquired another prisoner. "Yeah. I've heard of the guy. Isn't he dead?"

"What? Why the hell are you looking for someone who doesn't exist, anymore? How'd you get outta your cell, anyhow? Do me a favor, huh? How about you bust me out, too? C'mon! Be a pal!"

On and on, they trekked, but the more time they spent asking about someone who seemingly no longer existed, the more Luffy succumbed to the poison.

"Hello?" Bon Clay called. "I'm looking for someone known as Iva! Could you help? Anyone? Please!"

Just when it looked like he wasn't going to get anywhere and felt like giving up, Bon Clay suddenly had gotten a lead.

"You see that grove of evergreens behind you?" asked an inmate, pointing behind Bon Clay. "There's an abandoned guardroom, there. I saw some weirdo coming out of there, once. Go see for yourself!"

"R…really?" Bon Clay asked before he walked off. "Come, Wolfy! Not a moment to lose!"

_I'm coming,_ Blizzard thought. _And stop calling me 'Wolfy', will ya? It's degrading._

Little did they know that there was actually a secret about that grove.

"You sent them to the grove?" asked one of the prisoners. "Did you forget? That's where the Wolf Unit makes their den! They'll be torn to shreds!"

"Huh?" asked the other inmate, the one who told Blizzard and Bon Clay to go there. "Oh, yeah. Heh-heh…better them than us."

XXX

Bon Clay and Blizzard walked through the grove of trees, the latter of the two keeping a very careful eye on Luffy, who seemed to be getting worse by the second.

_This is bad,_ Blizzard thought. _The longer we're out here, looking for this…Iva guy, the more the poisons will take effect, not to mention the fact that it's way too cold out here…and it won't be long until…Luffy…_

**Gulp!** Blizzard gulped.

He didn't even want to think about that last word. He just kept walking alongside the sled.

_I can't lose you, Luffy,_ Blizzard thought. _I'm sorry I ever doubted you! You've got to make it! You've cheated Death before, and you can do it, again!_

Bon Clay, meanwhile, had his mind elsewhere.

_I don't understand,_ he thought. _The Demon's Invitation. Just what is that? Whatever it is, Iva couldn't possibly have been defeated by something like that, could he? No! NO! Preposterous! I may not have met him, but many people have said that he's performed countless miracles, and I believe that he's still here, alive, working his miracles!_

At this point, Bon Clay had tears running down his face and his nose was runny.

_He is the god…of the Queen World!_ he proclaimed in thought. _Please…I'm begging you…save Straw Hat's life! If there's no antidote that can save him…then you're our only hope! All I can do…all I can do is not give up!_

Suddenly, Blizzard began to growl, alerting Bon Clay of an unwanted presence: the Wolf Unit, and they looked angry.

"Oh, no," Bon Clay said. "Not them again…!"

_So they're the ones who attacked Bon in the first place,_ Blizzard thought as he kept growling. _No doubt that we've just entered their territory._ He then looked over to Luffy, and then back at the Wolf Unit. _I can't let them get to Luffy, no matter what!_

Suddenly, the wolves came charging, but Blizzard and Bon Clay were prepared to fight.

**WHAM!** Bon Clay punched one of the wolves in the throat, and then, **WHAP!** He kicked another way. However, these wolves proved to be quite strong, for they stood their ground.

Blizzard looked around and saw, to his horror, that there were more wolves surrounding them.

_Dammit,_ he cursed in thought. _An ambush!_

Bon Clay got into a fighting stance, refusing to back down to the Wolf Unit. Blizzard growled and bared his fangs, standing guard near Luffy in case any of them happened to get passed the swan. They watched and waited for one of the wolves to strike, when suddenly, a white blur dashed passed Bon Clay, and was headed straight for Luffy!

"Oh, no!" Bon Clay cried, but then…

_CRACKER!_

**BAM!** Blizzard gave the wolf a powerful headbutt, but the wolf's skull proved to be stronger than his. **SPLURT!** A stream of blood began to trickle down his forehead, almost going into his left eye, forcing him to close that one and use the other eye instead.

Just then, two more wolves attempted to get the jump on Luffy, but Blizzard was already one step ahead. He gave them both a Twister Fang before they could make their attempt. However, another saw its chance to try and attack Luffy before Blizzard could get a chance to stop it.

Luckily that Bon was there.

**BAM! THWAK!** He punched and kicked away two wolves, but the Wolf Unit retaliated by biting on his shoulder and ankle.

_Bon Clay!_ Blizzard cried in thought, but out of the corner of his eye, he spotted another wolf attempting to get at Luffy. **POW!** He tackled that wolf to the side with one other wolf biting onto his tail.

**THWAK!** Blizzard kicked that wolf in the way.

_Stay away from Luffy!_ he growled in thought. _We're the ones you want!_

**WHAM!** Blizzard was tackled into the snow, alongside Bon Clay.

Before the two could attempt to fight back, the Wolf Unit was already upon them. They piled up on the two, prepared to tear them apart and devour them both. One even bit Bon Clay in the face!

_Dammit all!_ Blizzard yelled in thought as he attempted to fight back. _If I wasn't so disoriented, right now, I'd knock these guys out with my Haki!_

Suddenly, a shadowy figure rose up with mouth agape.

**CHOMP!** He bit down on one of the wolves.

It's Luffy!

**YELP!** The wolf yowled in pain before Luffy let him go.

"Huh?" Bon Clay muttered. "S-Straw Hat?"

_How can he still be able to stand?_ Blizzard thought in disbelief.

"What the hell…are you doing to Bon?" Luffy questioned as he looked at the Wolf Unit with bloodshot eyes, shooting a dagger-like glare at them, making them all freeze with fear. "All of you….BEAT IT!"

A strong, powerful force emanated from Luffy, just like back in Amazon Lily. Before long, the wolves fell, one-by-one, unconscious.

_Luffy,_ Blizzard thought. _He did it, again. Does he even…realize the power…he has?_

**THUD!** Blizzard fell to the ground, unconscious.

**KOFF!** Luffy coughed, the poison beginning to overwhelm him, again.** THUD!** He fell, right back into the snow.

"S…Straw Hat," Bon Clay said. "What was…that?"

**THUD!** Bon Clay soon passed out, as well.

**WOOOOO~!** The wind blew, certain to bring about the freezing cold and lay waste to the trio, but then…

**Crunch…crunch…crunch!** The sound of snow crunching beneath footsteps is heard, and out of nowhere appeared a man wearing a coat that was orange on one side and white on the other. Same went with his hair and his sunglasses. On top of his forehead, their appeared to be a lightning bolt shaped scar that covered his right eye. His jaw was rectangular, and he appeared to be holding a glass of wine in his left hand while keeping his right hand out and flat beside him.

Whoever this man was, he just might've been Luffy, Blizzard, and Bon Clay's savior.

However…only 26 hours remained until Ace's public execution.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

* * *

><p>Sorry I took so long with updating!<p>

I really hated doing this chapter, though, and you can pretty much tell why.

Review, please!


	14. Enter Emporio Ivankov

**Ch. 14- Enter: Emporio Ivankov**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p><em>Flashback, some time ago<em>

"Ohh~! It's SO hot in here! It's just unbearable."

"Whoa~! So young and gorgeous! You're just my type~! But, wait! What happened to the weirdo that knocked out all the guards? Who are you? Where'd you come from?"

"Does it matter? Why don't you come over with me, handsome~!"

Hannyabal, who was guarding the stairway to Level 3, had suddenly been distracted by…"Cat Burglar" Nami?

"I'm all sweaty," said "Nami" as she pulled at the collar of her prison uniform, revealing her bosom before Hannyabal. "Do you mind helping a sweet little thing like me take off these sticky clothes~?"

**WHOO-WHOO!** Hannyabal's eyes formed into hearts and he blew steam from his nose.

"Now, do me a favor and open this gate for little old me," said "Nami" as she walked up to the door behind Hannyabal.

"O-of course!" Hannyabal said. "Right away, my dear!"

After he unlocked the door, Hannyabal and "Nami" went inside the dark room. **SLAM!** The door shut behind them. Once inside, Hannyabal was blinded because of the darkness, thus giving "Nami", who is revealed to be Bon Clay in disguise, the chance to jump him from behind with a rope in his hand.

"Gotcha!" Bon Clay exclaimed.

_Flashback end_

If there was thing that Hannyabal is feeling, right now, humiliation had to be it. Not only had he been bound, gagged, stripped down to his strawberry underpants, and suspended in the torture instrument storeroom of Level 4, but he had let himself get outsmarted by Bon Clay so easily!

_I'll make him pay for this, some day,_ Hannyabal thought to himself. _I'm glad that this will reflect badly on the Warden…but I HATE being outfoxed! I just want to be the Warden, for a change…_

And so, Hannyabal was left to lament his humiliation.

XXX

Meanwhile, in Magellan's office…

**GURRRRRGGLE! PFFUUUUUURRRRT!**

Some rather unpleasant sounds could be heard, as well as the sound of groaning.

"Ooh~!" Magellan groaned. "GAAH! I used way too much poison!"

XXX

On Level 2, the riot had finally been quieted down and the prisoners had been rounded up back into their cells by the Blugori and Saldeath.

"Well, the prisoners are back in their cells," reported Saldeath into the Transponder Snail before he held up a ring of keys. "But some of the keys appear to be missing, still. This is going to be quite a pain."

XXX

On Level 3...

"They cannot hope to elude us!" Sadie declared as she held up Bon Clay's wanted poster. "Now hurry! Capture those fools alive! They have to be somewhere on this, mmmm, floor~!"

"Yes, ma'am!" the guards yelled as they and the Jailer Beasts hurried off to find the prisoners and intruders in question.

XXX

Some time later, **CHAK!** A door opened, and a bandaged up Bon Clay awoke to a bright light.

_What?_ Bon Clay thought, questioningly as he shielded his eyes. _W-what's this? A light? Could it be? Am I…in heaven?_

As Bon Clay walked further, he started to hear the sound of chatter, as well as music, and the light became brighter as he walked through the door. He let out a gasp of shock.

There, before his very eyes, lay a world that seemed unbelievable.

There are disco balls and bright, lively colors, everywhere, as well as…men and women, dressed in rather peculiar clothes. The men seemed to be wearing revealing clothing, complete with women's stockings and make up, and the women seemed comfortable with that.

"Huh?" Bon Clay muttered in disbelief.

"Hey!" said one of the men. "So, you finally decided to wake up, eh, brother?"

"You were out for quite a long time," said another. "Why don't you come over and drink with us?"

"Welcome, friend, to New Kama!"

"Hey, we saw you on the monitor! Watching you and your friends on the run was a real great show!"

Bon Clay is speechless. He was surrounded by all these people who seemed to be a bunch of…dare he say, weirdos. It was much different from when he was in prison.

"W…where am I?" Bon Clay asked himself as a woman approached him.

"Please, come have a seat," she told him with a smile. "Which floor did you come from?"

"What is this place?" Bon Clay kept asking. "Where are Straw Hat and Wolfy?"

"Do you remember when you first broke out?" asked one of the girls.

"And in case you're wondering, yes, you're still in Impel Down," said another.

"IMPOSSIBLE!" Bon Clay shouted as he began to pirouette. "You people are wearing nice clothes, and eating delicious food, and drinking booze! Can it be? Is this _Paradise?_ No…it can't be! Let's see, now…Wolfy and I were being attacked by a pack of wolves…and then…Straw Hat used some strange power to save us…and then we passed out, one-by-one! Am I dreaming? Or perhaps I died of hypothermia. Could it be that I've passed into the afterlife?"

"Oh. I see you've woken up, finally. You've been sleeping for quite a while. About ten hours or so."

"What?" Bon Clay questioned as he turned to the figure behind him. "T-ten hours? Just what are you talking about? And who are you?"

"How rude!" said the figure.

It turned out that it was woman…who looked somewhat like the man who came out and found Bon Clay, Luffy, and Blizzard out in the cold in first place. She even has the same scar on her and glass of wine in her left hand!

"I am Inazuma," said the woman. "If I hadn't found you and your friends out there in the cold when I did, all three of you would've frozen to death!"

"My friends?" Bon Clay questioned. "Then that means that Straw Hat and Wolfy are here, too? Where are they? Are they all right? Are you people guards? Where am I?"

"Calm down," said Inazuma. "I'll let _him_ explain everything."

"Hey, everybody! Lights out!"

"It's time for the big show!"

Suddenly, **PLINK!** The lights shut off.

"Huh?" Bon Clay muttered. "W-what's going on?"

"Come," said Inazuma. "Let's get a front row seat."

Everyone gathered to sit in front of a stage. There, they saw a mysterious figure, standing in the spotlight with his back facing the audience, swishing his hips from side-to-side. He appeared to be holding a microphone in his hand.

"Did vyou sleep well, candy boy? Or should I call you…Mr. 2 Bon Boy?" the figure asked.

"What?" Bon Clay questioned. "You know my name…but how?"

"I'm glad that you could it make it here," the figure continued. "To get to this place, you'd have to go through the sewers of Impel Down. You travel paths that don't exist…and you arrive here, at the Prisoners'…Paradise!"

**STRUMM!** One of the candy girls strummed on a guitar.

"Mm-hmm-hmm…" the figure chuckled in his throat. "Enjoy yourselves. Here, we have food, we have weapons, we have games, but above all those, we have FREEDOM!"

The audience broke into cheers at that proclamation.

"Mmmm…" the figure hummed. "You see, all the guards are confused. Sometimes, prisoners will disappear. they think that they have all been dragged down to the pits of Hell, but in reality…everyone single one of them…is right here!"

He held up the microphone stand above his head.

"Mm-hmm," he chuckled. "Is this place Hell, you ask? Ha-ha…maybe, it's Queen Hell! It is an underground world that nobody but us knows about! Welcome."

**FWASH!** The lights came flashing back on, and the figure on stage turned to reveal himself.

He is a large man that seemed to stand at last 10 feet tall. Maybe even a little taller. He has an unusually large head, sports an afro of lavender hair, and rather long eyelashes. He also has an oddly-shaped chin that resembled an arrowhead. He also has a Jolly Roger tattooed just below his chest.

The Jolly Roger looks like a skull with two arrow-headed swords behind it that curve to resemble swords. However, if one were to look closely, they may also both the male and female sex symbols twice on it. The female symbols consisted of the eye sockets and the swords' hilts, while the male sex symbols consisted of the eyes sockets and the arrow-shaped sword blades.

He is dressed in reddish purple women's garments and he appears to be wearing heavy makeup. He also has on both a queen's crown with a king's crown on top of it. His hairstyle, make up, necklace, and fishnet stockings and cape are the very things that just are commonly associated with a stereotypical depiction of a drag queen.

As soon as this mysterious person turned to face the audience, other candy boys joined him on the stage as he bit the microphone stand in half.

"This is Impel Down's Level 5.5- The Prisoners' Secret Garden of Eden!" the cross-dresser declared. "This is New Kama Land! WOO-HOO!"

"What?" Bon Clay questioned. "Who are all these weirdos?"

"Yeah~!"

"All hail the great Lord Iva~!"

"W-what?" Bon Clay gasped. "Iva? Did you say Iva?"

It is indeed the very person that the swan has been looking for: Emporio Ivankov, the missing "Queen" of the Peachy Kingdom.

Suddenly, Ivankov began to wobble and shake.

"Oh, dear," he said. "I'm afraid that I got a bit overexcited. Now…my anemia…it is…it is…"

"Oh, no! Lord Iva, are you all right?"

"My anemia…" he then turned to face the audience as if nothing was wrong with him at all, "is not bothering me, one bit!"

The crowd cheered.

"So you're all right, after all?"

"You sure had us fooled, Lord Iva!"

"Mm-hmm," Ivankov laughed in his throat. "Welcome, Bon Boy! Welcome to my New Kama Land! WOO-HOO! Ha-ha-ha!"

Bon Clay gaped. He was staring his idol right in the face! It was like a dream come true!

"Are…are you honest and truly THE Iva?" he asked.

"Oh?" Ivankov mused. "So you've heard of me, have you?"

"Hey, pal!" said one of the candy girls. "You'd better show Lord Iva some respect!"

"Yeah!" agreed one of the candy boys. "He runs this place!"

"Now all of vyou candy boys and girls, shut your traps!" Ivankov orders. "Forget about all these manners and protocol! People can say and talk to me however they please! Why, they could even call me 'crap' if they vanted!"

A pause came.

"BUT THEY HAD BETTER NOT IF THEY KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR THEM!" Ivankov shouted.

"So we can't call you crap, after all?"

"You fooled us, again, Lord Iva!"

"So this person…is Iva?" Bon Clay murmured. "He's the miracle worker? My idol?"

**SLAM!** The door suddenly opened.

"EMPORIO IVANKOV!"

Everyone looked up to see a bulky, muscular man with blond pants and a pair of camouflage-patterned pants. He has a scar on his left shoulder that went down to his chest. Under his shoulder, he carried a bazooka.

"You used to be the Queen of the Peachy Queendom!" he shouted. "15 years ago, my beloved father was a great king! But then, he visited the Peachy Queendom, and then came back a woman! His kingdom and our family fell apart! I used to be a great prince, but because of what you've done, I've been reduced to a damn, no-account pirate! I never expected to find my sworn enemy here in this living Hell, but now, you're PAY for ruining my life!"

The candy boys and girls looked like they were ready to roll up their sleeves and give the intruder a lynching, but Ivankov seemed less than ready. In fact, he looked downright terrified!

"Oh, no, no, no!" Ivankov cried. "Please, wait! Look at the size of that gun! It's dangerous, vyou know! So very, very dangerous! If vyou shoot me with that, I could die! I…I…" he then flashed a pose. "I WILL NOT DIE!"

"You won't?" asked the crowd.

"You got us, again, Lord Iva!"

**BOOM!** The man fired his bazooka at Ivankov, who turned to face the incoming bullet. His eyes went wide and slight bloodshot.

"Death…"

Just when the bullet was mere inches away from Ivankov's face…

"WINK!"

**BLINK! WHOOM!** Ivankov winked his eye at the bullet, and created a massive blast of air pressure that ended up repelling the shot back to the man.

"AAAAAAH!" the man screamed.

"There it is!" said one of the candy boys. "It's Lord Iva's famous wink! The Death Wink!"

"Mm-hmm-hmm~!" Ivankov chuckled in his throat.

"He pushed back a bazooka shot with a wink?" Bon Clay questioned.

As the smoke from the resulting explosion, the man, who survived the resulting blast, found himself face-to-face against Ivankov, who wore a rather evil-looking grin on his face. Then, his fingertips grew pointed, like needles.

"Emporio…ESTROGEN!"

**SHUNK!** Ivankov stabbed his fingers into the man's breast, making him scream in pain, and the moment Ivankov pulled out his fingers, his body started to undergo a dramatic change.

His beard shrank back into his chin, and his muscles began to shrink, as well as his height.

"W-what the hell…?" the man questioned. "No…don't tell me you…!"

"Your father vanted to become a voman," Ivankov stated. "Deal vith it!"

The man tried to in vain to stop his transformation as his arms started to shrivel, using one arm to cover his growing chest and the other hand to keep his pants from his slipping off his waist.

"Two mothers and one daughter?" Ivankov mused. "That is just fine, too! Just deal with it!"

By this time, the transformation was complete. The bazooka-toting man…has changed into a woman!

"AAAAH!" she screamed as tears began to form in her eyes. "This…this is…" she turned and ran out the door, "SO EMBARRASSING!"

The candy boys and girls laughed at him as he ran and cheered for their ruler.

"WOO-HOO!" Ivankov cheered. "Don't be shy! Vyou still have a long way to go as a New Kama! A new HUMAN!"

Bon Clay was left shocked.

"He…he turned that man into a woman!" he said. "It's true! He really can work miracles! It's him! It's REALLY him!"

"Man or woman or both," Ivankov starts, "be whatever vyou want to be, here! I have already broken the borders of gender! Why, we all have! We have already gone far beyond it! We are the new humans- the New Kama!"

The crowd broke into a wave of cheers.

"And this place," Ivankov began, "is our Garden of Eden, New Kama Land!"

**THUD!** Bon Clay suddenly fell to his hands and knees, bowing before Ivankov.

"Emporio Ivankov!" he cried. "The miracle worker! I am humbled to be in your presence, O great King of Queens! I am overjoyed, but…perhaps it's not polite of me to ask something of you when we have just met, like this, but there is someone I want you to save! My dear friend is dying from Magellan's deadly poisons, and what's worse, there's no antidote! If you save him, then I will do anything you want for the rest of my life! Oh, please! Please, save him!"

"Are you talking about that boy with the straw hat?" asked Ivankov. "The one who owns that white wolf?"

Bon Clay gasped. How did he know?

"We are outlaws," Ivankov stated. "When we see someone who is injured…we don't automatically come to his aid. We are not that goodhearted! Do vyou know why we tended vyours and the dog's wounds? It is because the boy whose life you plead for so passionately begged us to!"

"What?" Bon Clay questioned. "Straw Hat…he…?"

_Flashback, 10 hours ago_

Inazuma had brought a dying Luffy, Blizzard, and Bon Clay to Ivankov, who stood before their motionless forms with arms crossed. However, only Luffy seemed to have enough strength to attempt sitting up. He wheezed and coughed, but not before he managed to speak.

"B…Bon Clay…and Blizzard…" he stammered. "They were trying to protect me from this pack of wolves. They saved my life…so you have to save them! Please…they're my friends!"

Ivankov's eyes went wide.

_Flashback end_

"It is quite rare to see a dying man worry about someone else's life instead of his own," Ivankov stated. "I had no idea the flower of friendship could bloom in such a place like this…but after hearing that, then I would have to be the lowest person in the world not to do something! I started Straw Hat Boy's treatment ten hours ago!"

"You…you did?" Bon Clay asked, smiled.

"The treatment is quite rough," said Ivankov, "so I had to lock him away in the cave back there. The boy has been screaming like mad for ten whole hours straight! Unfortunately, it's going to be a long while until he stops. About two more days."

Behind a locked up, chained door in a cave, one could hear the ear-piercing, blood-curdling screams of agony coming from Monkey D. Luffy.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHH~!"

Nearby the door…Blizzard sits there. His forehead, his paws, and his nose are bandaged, but he had tears streaming down his cheeks. He covered his sensitive with his paws in a failing attempt to block out the tormented screams, but even so, it wasn't enough to completely drown out the sound.

If anyone knew the one thing that tortured Blizzard, then this is it: to hear Luffy's screams of pain, once again.

_Make him stop…_ Blizzard thought. _Make him stop…! Make him stop! Please, dear god, MAKE HIM STOP!_

_**ARROOOOOOOOOOOO~!**_ Blizzard let a tormented howl while Luffy continued to scream.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

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><p>Meant to upload this yesterday, but there were so many distractions.<p>

Luckily for me that school will be out on the 19th, so that means updates, updates, and more updates!

Review, please!


	15. Level 5 5 New Kama Land

**Ch. 15- Level 5.5: New Kama Land**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

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><p><em>Flashback, 10 hours ago<em>

"Ten years of vyour life! That is what it will cost to save vyou, Straw Hat Boy!"

**Huff! Huff!** Luffy panted, chained to a table by Ivankov, who was about to begin his treatment.

"O…okay," Luffy said.

"I must warn you," said Ivankov. "Even then, there is no guarantee that vyou will survive! Right now, your chance is or survival is 0! I can only raise that to 2 or 3 percent. Whether vyou live or die…it depends on vyour own vill power! Understand?"

**Huff! Huff!** Luffy panted.

"If you die, then the poison vins," Ivankov stated, "but if vyou live, then vyou win. Now, off you go…to the Valley of Death! Emporio HEALING HORMONE!"

**SHUNK! SHUNK!** Ivankov stabbed his syringe-like fingers into Luffy's sides, making him gasp.

"Ugh…!" Luffy gasped as his body arched upward and he coughed up blood. Large veins appeared on his arms.

**BA-BUMP! BA-BUMP! BA-BUMP!** His started to race, faster and faster, forcing his blood through out his veins.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGH!" Luffy let out a blood curdling scream of agony as he struggled against his bonds.

_Flashback end_

"You mean that Straw Hat has been screaming like this for TEN WHOLE HOURS?" Bon Clay questioned in horror.

Ivankov has brought him to the cave where he was keeping Luffy, who is still screaming in pain from his violent treatment, and a tearful Blizzard just sat by the locked door, trying in vain to cover his ears.

_Dear god,_ the wolf-dog pleaded in thought, _make him STOP! In the name of all that is pure, PLEASE, MAKE HIM STOP! I CAN'T STAND IT ANYMORE!_

"Will power and hormones unleash the vital forces of the human body," Ivankov explained.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Luffy screamed from behind the door.

"All I did was stimulate Straw Hat Boy's natural immunity factors," Ivankov continued, "to abnormal levels and alter his body to enable him to fight off the poisons in his system. His body is now breaking down and regenerating at an incredible rate! Only by enduring his pain can he truly escape death! If vyou are so worried about him, then go and take a look for yourself."

Bon Clay walked up to the door and he opened a little window. Inside, he saw nothing but darkness, but then he spotted the familiar of Luffy, who was still screaming from the excruciating pain and struggling against the chains that held him down as streams of blood came bubbling up his throat and out his mouth.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHH!"

**SWIP! THWAK! WHUP! FWUP! WUMP! THUD!** Bon Clay was sent somersaulting and bouncing off the walls, taken aback at what he had seen.

"H-h-he could DIE!" Bon Clay cried as he grabbed Ivankov by the collar of his shirt. "His body's being torn apart as we speak! He's practically dead by now! This is awful! Please, you must help! You have to save Straw Hat! Take off those chains and stop the bleeding, I beg you! DO SOMETHING!"

"SHUT UP!"

**WHAK!** Ivankov slapped Bon Clay away.

"Do you not see that I am helping him, right now?" the cross-dressing "queen" questioned. "We are talking about a life, here! Do you know what it means to save a life that is beyond saving?"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Luffy cried.

"Vyou call me the miracle worker," Ivankov began, "but I am no good! Well, to be honest, I don't care what you call me. I will not waste my time saving fools who cannot save themselves! Even with nations that were about to suffer from economic collapse, or be torn apart by wars, all I did was focus on their will to live! Do vyou understand? Miracles only happen to those with the will to never give up! NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF MIRACLES!"

Bon Clay sat on his rump, surprised at Ivankov's works while Luffy kept screaming and Blizzard kept crying.

XXX

Moments later, while everyone is still partying away, Ivankov sat down to a meal and had explained his Devil Fruit ability to Bon Clay: the power of the Horm-Horm Fruit. It allowed him to freely manipulate one's hormones at will. Gender, body, temperature, skin pigmentation, growth, excitement, etc. By changing his fingers into syringes, he can alter the body who can alter people from the inside-out.

"Anyway," Ivankov said as he drank a barrelful of grog, "vyou smell like a New Kama, but the candy boys and girls that live here have all transcended gender completely. The men become women, and the women become men. That is the kind of miracles we do here! Mm-hmm-hmm~! Miraculous!"

"Phew!" the New Kama candy boys sighed.

"Now I understand!" Bon Clay said. "So you used hormones to change that man into a woman! GAH~!" He groaned and grasped his head. "The more I look at this place, the less it seems like a prison! This has to be a dream!"

"It's not a dream!" Ivankov shouted. "It's a place of dreams!"

**WINK!** Ivankov hit Bon Clay with his Death Wink.

"The candy kids here were all originally prisoners who were thought to be lost," Ivankov explained. "They stumbled onto this place by blind luck, but there are actually entrances to this place all over the prison. Among the bloody spikes of the Crimson Hell, in the den of the Beast Hell, in the blazing fire of the Inferno Hell, even in the morgue. And now, we use those paths to get supplies and provisions. The guards don't even notice! They can't imagine that a paradise like zis could ever exist in zis so-called 'Hell' of theirs! But we know that's going on in the outside world. We have Transponder Snails, too, you know! We knew everything that happens in the prison and the steal newspapers out of the garbage. I must admit, it was quite thrilling to watch you, Straw Hat Boy, and the little doggie on the run! We all enjoyed your little show!"

"So, where is this place?" Bon Clay asked. "Who built it?"

"Oh, this was not always here," Ivankov replied. "Vyou see, a long time ago, one of the prisoners had a Devil Fruit ability that was good for digging tunnels. That candy boy and his followers created this paradise for prisoners. Impel Down is like a giant ant colony built inside a really big rock. This place is located somewhere between Level 5 and Level 6."

"W-wait, WHAT?" Bon Clay questioned. "Level 6? There's a LEVEL 6?"

"Mm-hmm-hmm!" Ivankov chuckled. "I guess it's not widely known. It's where they keep the most dangerous criminals in the world! They have all been sentenced to life or execution! Level 6; they call it the 'Infinite Hell'! The prisoners that stay there committed deeds so heinous that the World Government has erased their existence! The Government is always doing that to the people they find 'inconvenient'. For example, vyou guys managed to fight vyour down to Level 4, but zat would not have been possible a little while back. That is because there was once another powerful person that patrolled here: the head jailer."

Bon Clay gasped.

"They called him 'Shiryu of the Rain'," said Ivankov. "He was just as powerful as Warden Magellan, himself! Considering Warden Magellan's relative lack of experience, Shiryu may have been more deadly than he was!"

"More deadly than Magellan?" Bon Clay asked in disbelief.

"Their duel force was what Impel Down its formidable reputation," Ivankov said.

_Flashback_

Somewhere on one of the prison's levels, the inmates were being slaughtered one-by-one by a mysterious figure who was smoking a cigar and wielding a blood-spattered blade. Magellan appeared to face the man responsible.

"Shiryu!" Magellan roared. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Do you think this place is a slaughterhouse? The prisoners are not meant to satisfy your thirst for blood!"

Shiryu, his face still in shadows, turned to face Magellan with a smug grin.

"Who's going to complain," he began, "if I just clean up a little human garbage?"

Magellan glared venomously at Shiryu, and then…

**KLANG!** The sound of a cell door slamming was heard, presumably locking Shiryu away…perhaps forever.

_Flashback end_

"He killed prisoners on a whim," said Ivankov. "Something had to be done about it, so they imprisoned him on Level 6 because he was so violent and dangerous."

"I never heard about that, before!" Bon Clay exclaimed. "It must've happened long before I got here."

"Only the worst of prisoners go there," said Ivankov. "The Pirate Catalina Devon, 'Great Battleship' San Juan Wolf, Shichigoro 'The Skull Drinker', and Vasco Shot. These are feared pirates who once shook the world!"

**CHOMP!** He bit down and tore a huge chunk of meat off of a turkey leg.

"But their most brutal crimes never made it into the newspapers," he continued with a mouthful. "Those are the kind of legendary pirates who are imprisoned on Level 6! Vyour old boss is there, too. He's a bit crazy, as well…in his own way."

Bon Clay gasped.

So the former Warlord, Crocodile, otherwise known as Mr. 0 of Baroque Works, is here, too?

"Wasn't it true that vyou and Straw Hat Boy fought on opposite sides in Alabasta?' Ivankov asked. "Vyou two have a very interesting- if not, strange- relationship."

"Politics doesn't matter when it comes to friendship!" Bon Clay declared as he struck his signature pose.

Ivankov laughed.

"I guess not," he said, "And another one of the Seven Warlords is there, too: Jimbei, 'Knight of the Sea'."

"What?" Bon Clay questioned.

"As well as that man that Straw Hat Boy and his dog are looking for," Ivankov said. "Portgas D. Ace, the Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates' 2nd Unit! I heard on the prison's communication system that those two are brothers."

"That's right!" Bon Clay replied. "Straw Hat is here to rescue from execution!"

"Mm-hmm-hmm~!" Ivankov chortled. "Just sneaking into this place is an impressive feat, but unfortunately for Straw Hat Boy, there is nothing he can do to save Ace Boy."

**GLUG-GLUG! PLUP-PLUP!** Ivankov started to drink down a barrel of grog that is being held by one of the candy girls while dripping dressing on his salad.

"I understand that he is his big brother," Ivankov continued as he eats and drinks, "but Straw Hat Boy needs to start worrying about himself, not Ace Boy! Besides, it's already past midnight, and Ace Boy's going to be executed tomorrow at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. They'll be transporting him to Marine Headquarters in the morning."

Up on a wall, the clock says 1 o'clock.

"That means that Ace Boy will be removed from Impel Down in seven or eight hours," said Ivankov, munching on his salad. "Straw Hat Boy's detoxification treatment will take at least two more days, and even then, he may not survive it. After that, he'll need to sleep for about three days to fully recover his strength. By the time he wakes up…well, it'll all be over with."

"Can Straw Hat really survive two more days of this…torture?" Bon Clay shouted, slamming his hands on the table.

"The odds are completely against him!" Ivankov answered. "It will be a miracle if he does manage to survive! Didn't I tell you this, already?"

Bon Clay sniffled as tears began to dribble down his face and his nose starts to run.

It appeared that it was all up to Luffy.

"You should rest, too," Ivankov said, munching on a watermelon, seeds, rind, and all. "You need to eat something nutritious and then get plenty of sleep. Come. I shall take you to a room where you won't have to hear all this noise."

"No!" Bon Clay barked. "I…I want to be with Straw Hat and Wolfy!"

With that, Bon Clay turned and left to head to the cave where Luffy and Blizzard are staying.

"Don't do it!" called one of the candy boys. "I mean…he's already…"

"We really don't think he'll make it," said another candy boy.

"What can you possibly do for him, anyway?" asked one more.

Ivankov just silently wiped his lips with a napkin.

XXX

It was probably about 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning.

Blizzard is surprisingly still awake. His eyes were puffy and he had probably cried so much, that he has possibly dehydrated himself. He's so exhausted, he couldn't even think.

He just couldn't fall asleep, knowing his beloved friend is still screaming in such pain. He probably should've just left the room, and yet…he just couldn't bring himself to be too far from Luffy. He was just too loyal to do so.

Still, the wolf-dog felt tormented, not to mention scared.

Ivankov did say that even with his survival rate raised to 2 or 3 percent, there was still a good chance that Luffy might die, anyway. That alone was too much for poor Blizzard to bear.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Luffy screamed from behind the door.

Blizzard gritted his teeth and covered his face.

He was beginning to lose his hope in Luffy, all over again, and this time, it seemed worse than before, but then…

"You can do it, Straw Hat! Don't give up, yet!"

Blizzard looked back and saw Bon Clay, and he seems to shouting words of encouragement as Luffy kept screaming in agony.

_B…Bon Clay,_ he thought. _What are you…?_

"You have to live, Straw Hat!" Bon Clay cheers. "You can do it! You can do it! YOU CAN DO IT!"

Blizzard's eyes went wide.

Bon Clay was cheering Luffy on through his treatment.

The wolf-dog wasn't the only who's surprised. Behind Bon Clay, Ivankov and the New Kamas have been watching, too. At first, they thought he was probably crazy, but then, when they looked at him, again, they realized that he is dead serious.

It amazed them to see how far he was willing to go for Luffy.

XXX

On Level 3...

"HE'S JUST ONE MAN! WHY CAN'T YOU FIND HIM?"

**SHWAK!** Sadie whipped Minozebra, Minokoala, and Minorhinoceros in the back of their heads, causing them to recoil in fear.

XXX

"You can do it, Straw Hat!" Bon Clay cheered. "You can do it!"

"Come on, Straw Hat! You can do this!"

"Don't give up!"

Bon Clay still cheered Luffy on, but this time, he wasn't the only one. The New Kamas started to join in, too!

"C'mon, Straw Hat!" shouted a candy boy.

"Don't give up!" cried a candy girl.

"You can do it!" Bon Clay cheered.

As this went on, three hours pass.

XXX

In Magellan's office, one of the jailers enter.

"Warden Magellan, sir!" he said. "I've come with a report!"

"Hmm?" Magellan hummed, questioningly.

"'Straw Hat' Luffy and 'White Wolf' Blizzard," the jailer began, "have both disappeared!"

"What?" Magellan questioned.

XXX

On Level 4, another jailer walks in, but once he did, he sees Hannyabal, still suspended above the floor by Bon Clay!

"V-Vice Warden?" the jailer questioned. "What in the world are you doing up there?"

"MM HMMFF MMMMMPH! (GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!)" Hannyabal shouted, his voice muffled.

XXX

"YOU CAN DO IT! YOU CAN DO IT! YOU CAN DO IT! YOU CAN DO IT!"

Bon Clay and the New Kamas continued to cheer for Luffy as he kept screaming, and by this time, even Ivankov had joined them!

Blizzard sat in his little corner, staring at them in disbelief, but then, it him.

What was he doing just sitting here, moping? He was Luffy's friend, too, dammit! His most loyal friend, at that! How could he just sit here and wallow in his own sorrows while all these candy boys and girls cheered Luffy on like this?

With newfound hope and determination, Blizzard got up from the floor and walked over to the group. Then, he takes a deep breath, and lets loose with a long, eerie howl, so loud and powerful, that it could possibly break the sound barrier.

_**ARRROOOOOOOOOOOOO~!**_

_DON'T YOU DARE GIVE UP ON ME, LUFFY~!_ the wolf-dog screamed in his head.

Seven hours go by as they continued their cheers.

XXX

Down in Level 6, in Ace and Jimbei's cell…

"I don't know what Hancock was up to, Ace," said Jimbei, "but, you know, she may not have been telling you the truth?"

"You think that that bitch came all the way down here to lie to me?" Ace barked, taking Jimbei by surprise.

"I…I'm sorry, Jimbei," Ace said. "It's just…I'm worried, okay? My little brother has been foolhardy! Ever since Luffy and I were little, I've always had to worry about him constantly getting his ass in danger! He's a big, reckless idiot!"

XXX

Eight hours have passed.

**PFFFT! PFOOT! BRRRRRTT! GURRRRGLE!**

Magellan was in his office, again…apparently going through another diarrhea attack.

"Warden!" Domino called. "Warden Magellan! Good morning, sir!"

"I have diarrhea, again," said Magellan from his 'private quarters'.

"Well, please hurry, sir," said Domino. "It's time for us to send Portgas D. Ace…to Marineford."

XXX

Back in New Kama Land, everyone had stopped cheering…and the whole cave is silent.

Luffy's screams had ceased.

_W…what happened?_ Blizzard thought. _He stopped screaming. Does that mean…?_

Everyone looked down and gasped.

A crimson liquid has seeped from under the door…a large amount of it.

"B…blood…!" whispered one of the candy boys.

"I…I don't hear him screaming, anymore," Bon Clay said.

"The treatment is excruciatingly painful from start to finish," Ivankov explained. "If he's stopped screaming…"

Bon Clay quivers as tears began to flood in his eyes.

"No…" he murmured. "It…it can't be…!"

_Luffy,_ Blizzard thought as he looked down at the pool of blood that had formed and his tears started to return, once more.

_How tragic,_ Ivankov thought. _However, vyou have fought well for 20 hours…Straw Hat Boy._

"S…Straw Hat," Bon Clay cried.

Blizzard sniffled as he approached the door, slowly, and stood in the bloody puddle before it.

_C'mon, Luffy,_ he thought. _Please…! I won't let you give up!_

**Yip!** Blizzard yipped, a bit quietly.

No response.

**Ruff!** Blizzard barked.

Still no answer.

Blizzard's tears spilled from his eyes.

_No. No! NOOOOOO~!_

_**ARRROOOOOOOOOOOOO~!**_ Overcome with seeming loss, Blizzard let out a sad, mournful howl.

It was like Robby's death, all over again.

Or so he thought.

**WHAM! WHAM! KA-CHANK!** Something started to bang against the door, rattling the chains that locked it, startling Blizzard, Bon Clay, Ivankov, and the New Kamas.

"Huh?" Bon Clay muttered.

Blizzard stared at the door in anticipation.

**WHAM! WHAM! BAM! WHAM!** The door kept shaking, but it wouldn't open.

Behind it, an unfamiliar figure with a very familiar voice fell to the floor on his hands and knees, panting heavily.

**GURRRRRRGLE~!**

At that volume, one might think that that roaring may have come from a ferocious beast that lurked behind the door, but to Blizzard, that was a whole different story.

_I'd recognize the sound of that growling stomach, anywhere!_ Blizzard thought.

Behind the door, Luffy took in a deep breath, and then…

"GIVE ME FOOOOOOOOOOOOOD~!"

A pause.

Then, Blizzard gave a smirk.

_Yep,_ Blizzard thought. _He's back!_

"STRAW HAAAAAAT!" Bon Clay cried, his tears and snot coming down at full force.

"YEAH~!" The New Kamas cheered.

"All right, Straw Hat Boy!" Ivankov cried, but then he gasped.

"But wait," he said to himself. "I-impossible? How can this be? IT HAS EVEN BEEN ONE WHOLE DAY, YET!"

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

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><p>Review, please!<p> 


	16. Emporio Tension Hormones

**Ch. 16- Emporio Tension Hormones**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

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><p><strong>FWEEEEEET!<strong>

"Come on! Go, go, go!"

"Move it!"

"Bring as much food as you can!"

"It doesn't matter if it's raw! Bring it in, anyway!"

The New Kama hurriedly went back and forth, bringing huge plates of food to the cave where Luffy is kept in.

**GULP! GULP! MUNCH! CHOMP! URRRP! GULP!** Luffy could be heard eating whatever food he could grab before he tossed the leftovers out the door.

Blizzard ran up to the door and set down a huge chicken on a platter.

_Here you go, Luffy,_ he thought. _Eat up!_

**WHAP!** Luffy's hand stretched out and grabbed the chicken, and then pulled it into the cave, where it was soon devoured. Only its skeleton remained.

"Just leave it by the door and get some more!"

"Hurry it up!"

**CHOMP! MUNCH! CRUNCH! CHOMP! CHOMP! KRASH! KLANK!** Luffy is swallowing a huge leg of meat as plates and dishes clattered.

"Wow! Look at him put it away!"

"Yeah! He's sucking it all in like an antlion pit!"

"How long is he gonna keep eating?"

"Yeah! He's been at this for 30 whole minutes, now!"

**WHAP! WHAP! WHAP! CHOMP! CHOMP!** Luffy's stretching arms grabbed another leg of mutton, a hot dog, and a fish, and he still kept eating as much as he could.

"He…he's eaten several days' worth of New Kama Land's food supply!" said one of the New Kamas.

"What vitality!" Ivankov muttered.

_Of course you'd be surprised at Luffy's appetite,_ Blizzard thought. _Who wouldn't? Anyway, if he eats as much as that, I know he's okay._

Bon Clay just stared in silence.

**Clank!** One last dish fell.

"Phew…!" came a satisfied. "I'm stuffed…"

"H-hey! He's coming out!"

A strange figure did indeed lumber out of the door, but…it didn't look at all like Luffy aside from the top part.

"Whoa! What is that thing?"

"He doesn't even look human anymore!"

A panting Luffy came stomping out of the cave. His stomach was SO HUGE, that it almost gave his body the shape of a giant gourd!

"Agh…! Ungh…!" Luffy grunted.

**SWUP! PLUMP! PLUMP! PLUMP!** All that body fat that Luffy had suddenly began to turn into muscle, thus returning him to his original form.

"I'M…ALL…BETTER~!" Luffy roared, his hands thrown up into the air.

**BUR~RRP!** He let out a huge belch.

"Whoa! Did you see that?" asked one of the New Kama. "He absorbed all the fat and turned it into muscle!"

"I don't believe it!" said another New Kama. "He's not human!"

_**AWWOOOOOOOOOOO~!**_** THUD!** Blizzard howled joyfully as he pounced on Luffy, pinning him to the floor. **SLURP! SLURP! SLURP!** He began to lick Luffy's face, happy to see that his best friend is alive.

Luffy laughs, trying to get his wolf-dog off of him.

"O-okay, buddy!" Luffy said. "Okay! I get it! I'm glad to see that you're okay, too!"

_You moron!_ Blizzard thought as tears cascaded from his eyes. _You really had me thinking that you were gonna die! Don't ever do that, again, you son of a bitch! Aww, but I love you~!_

Suddenly, the New Kamas picked Luffy up off the ground and began to toss him up and down in the air.

"He survived Magellan's poisons!"

"It's incredible!"

"And he did it in only 20 hours!"

"It's truly a miracle!"

"Yes, it is," Ivankov said. "No…it's more than a miracle…!"

"Thank the stars…!" Bon Clay sobbed.

"Oh, Bon!" Luffy said. "You're okay!"

"ME?" Bon Clay shouted in his pirouette position. "YOU FOOL! I WAS WORRIED SICK ABOUT YOU!"

**FWUMP!** Bon Clay's eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he fell to the floor on his side, unconscious.

"Oh, no!" Luffy cried. "Bon! Are you okay? Get up!"

As the New Kamas put him back on the floor, Luffy ran to Bon Clay's side, followed by Blizzard.

"Relax," said Ivankov. "Mr. 2 Bon Boy is just exhausted, not hurt."

"Oh, hey! Iva guy!" Luffy said to Ivankov.

"IVA GUY?" the New Kama Land cried.

"Thanks a lot!" Luffy said, gratefully, his signature smile creasing across his face. "We owe you our lives!"

"Don't thank me, Straw Hat Boy," said Ivankov. "Thank Mr. 2 Bon Boy and White Wolf Boy!"

"What?" Luffy questioned.

"I only used my powers to help vyou, but only just a little," Ivankov explained. "Vyour friends here did more than I ever could. One hour after the other, even after his throat got so raw that it bled, Mr. 2 Bon Boy stayed right here to share your pain with White Wolf Boy, and they both continued to howl and cheer you on, and shout for vyou to live! I think that is one reason you were able to make it!"

"Oh," Luffy muttered.

"_Straw Hat! Wolfy!"_ Bon Clay cried in Luffy's memory. _"I have to come to save you!"_

Luffy turned to Blizzard and pulled him into a grateful hug.

"Thanks, buddy," Luffy said. "I owe you, big time."

_You don't owe me anything, Luffy,_ Blizzard thought. _I did it because I love you._

Luffy then let Blizzard go, turned to Bon Clay, and lowers his head in a grateful bow.

"Bon," he said. "Thank you, so much! I owe you one!"

The New Kamas just smiled at the three friends.

Just then, Inazuma appeared with Luffy's hat and some new clothes. The pants were the same red color, but the only difference is his vest, which is yellow.

"Here are your hat and some new clothes," said Inazuma said. "You've cheated death, Straw Hat, but you, White Wolf, and Mr. 2 still need to rest for a few more days in order to fully recover."

"Sorry, but I can't stay," said Luffy. "Blizzard and I have wasted too much time as it is!"

With that, Luffy slipped into his new clothes, leaving the vest unbuttoned.

"Can you guys take care of Blizzard and Bon for me?" Luffy asked. "I'll come and get them later- whoa!"

**WUMP!** Luffy fell to his side on the floor. Apparently, his body was still not ready to get going.

"Whoa, what are you nuts?" asked one of the New Kama boys.

"Yeah! You're in still in pretty bad shape!" said another.

_They're right, Luffy,_ Blizzard thought. _I know you really can't hear me, and I know that Fire Fist is important, right now, but we gotta rest!_

Luffy stood up and pulled Ace's Vivre Card from his hat. It's still pointing downward.

"The Vivre Card's still pointing down," said Luffy. "Ace…he's somewhere below us? But I thought he'd be here! Where are we?"

"What is that?" asked one of the New Kama.

"That there is a Vivre Card," Ivankov answered. "Now that vyou're back on vyour feet, Straw Hat Boy, vyou will probably go and rescue your big brother no matter what I say. Oh, well. It's vyour life. Do whatever vyou please."

"Wait, Iva!" Luffy said. "Don't you wanna leave this place, too? Bon came here to save you!"

"He speaks to Lord Iva so rudely!" the New Kamas cried.

"Oh! And can you tell me where Ace is?" Luffy asked.

"So, Mr. 2 Bon Boy wants to save _me_, eh?" Ivankov questioned. "Mm-hmm-hmm. That's quite adorable, but no thanks. It's not time for me to escape, just yet. I know what this world is like, nowadays. It's being molded by powerful forces such as the Marines and the Whitebeard Pirates. And, of course, there is the boss of Revolutionaries all around the world, my comrade, the great Dragon!"

A pause.

"Oh," Luffy said. "Are you talking about my Dad?"

"That's right," Ivankov replied. "When your father mobilizes the Revolution Army, I will escape to the outside and throw myself in to the affairs of the world once. If I escaped, here and now, I'd just be a regular wanted fugitive, all over again."

Another pause, but then, **KRASH!** Ivankov, suddenly taken aback by what Luffy had just said, jumped back and crashed into a wall.

"YOUR FATHER?" he questioned.

"HIS FATHER?" the rest of the New Kamas cried.

_Luffy's father is DRAGON?_ Blizzard thought in disbelief. THE_ DRAGON? WHY DOES HE NEVER TELL ME THINGS?_

"D-D-DON'T SAY SUCH CRAZY THINGS!" Ivankov exclaimed. "VYOU are DRAGON'S SON? HE HAS A SON?"

"Oh, I guess I wasn't supposed to say that," Luffy commented. "But that's what my Grandpa said, anyway. I don't really too much about him. I don't even know what he looks like. My Mom said that he left before I was even born."

_Hmm…_ Ivankov hummed in thought. _That makes it even more believable! He is a total rookie pirates, and he doesn't seem like someone who could tell a good lie And that would explain his almost human superhuman vitality! He may just be telling the truth!_

"Tell me, Straw Hat Boy," said Ivankov, "where did you come from?"

"Upstairs," Luffy replied, stupidly.

"No, I mean where were you born?" Ivankov asked.

"Oh!" Luffy gasped. "The East Blue. Why?"

Ivankov gasped.

"I knew it…!" he whispered.

_Flashback_

Somewhere in Baltigo, the base of the Revolutionary Army, a younger Ivankov, who wore no crowns, yet, was standing behind his leader: Monkey D. Dragon, Luffy's father, who, for some reason, was facing the East.

"Dragon," said Ivankov. "Vyou always stare off in that direction, for some reason whenever you come outside."

"I do?" Dragon asked. "How odd. I wasn't even aware of it."

"It's like vyou have gotten some animal's honing instinct or something," said Ivankov. "Does your homeland lie in that direction? Do vyou happen to have a family back in the East Blue? Well?"

Dragon simply smirked and said, "Mind your own damn business, Iva."

"Mm-hmm-hmm," Ivankov chortled. "My apologies."

_Flashback end_

_But still, if that's true,_ Ivankov thought, _if Straw Hat Boy truly is Dragon's son…_

"Inazuma!" Ivankov suddenly ordered. "Go and find out when they're taking Ace Boy!"

"Yes, sir," said Inazuma.

"It's going to be close, but we just might make it in time if we hurry!" Ivankov stated. "His Vivre Card is still pointing downwards, so Ace must still be here! I am going down to Level 6 with Straw Hat Boy and White Wolf Boy, right now!"

"What?" Luffy asked. "You're gonna take me and Blizzard down there? But, wait…what do you mean Level 6? I thought Ace is in Level 5! Ah, whatever. Thanks a lot! Now, let's go!"

"Listen, Straw Hat Boy," said Ivankov. "Vyou should NEVER tell people who your father is!"

"Oh, yeah," Luffy said. "I guess you're right, huh?"

_Ya think?_ Blizzard thought.

"Vyour father is my friend," Ivankov declared. "I'm an officer in the Revolutionary Army! That was why they imprisoned me here! Vyou didn't asked for it, but as a friend of vyour father's, it is my duty to help you! I can't possibly sit back and let my comrade's son die before my very eyes!" He then turns to the New Kamas.

"Hear me, residents of New Kama Land!" he ordered. "We are going to rescue Ace Boy and break out of Impel Down! If you want to come with us then stand by here and be ready to die in battle!"

"But this is so sudden!" said one of the candy boys.

"Crossroads in life are always sudden!" Ivankov declared.

"All right!" Luffy exclaimed. "Hang on, Ace, 'cause here I come! C'mon, Blizzard! Let's go…unh…"

**FWUMP!** All of a sudden, Luffy collapses!

_Luffy!_ Blizzard cried in his head. _Oh, dear god, please tell me he's not dead!_

"Oh, no!" Ivankov cried as he picked up Luffy's hand. "His pulse! It's…"

"What's wrong with his pulse?" asked the New Kamas.

"He's got one!" Ivankov said.

"He does?" the New Kama questioned.

Just then, Ivankov turned his fingers into syringes, and then, **SHUNK!** He stabbed his fingers into Luffy's side, thus awakening him.

"AGH!" Luffy cried before he fell to his hands and knees. Then, he felt his heart start to race, and his eyes seemed to glow red. Then, he let out a roar.

"That was adrenaline," explained Ivankov. "Now vyou can forget about your fatigue for one whole day! Vyou probably don't care, but the aftereffects are going to hit your hard, later." He then turned to Blizzard, who looked back up at him with some nervousness. "And now for vyou, White Wolf Boy! Although, I'll admit…I never used my hormones on a dog, before."

_Whoa, whoa, wait a minute,_ Blizzard thought as he starts to back away. _Th-that's bad, right? If you've never used your hormones on a dog, before, then what the hell's gonna happen to me?_

**SHUNK! YIPE!** Ivankov stabs his fingers into Blizzard's side, causing him to yelp in pain.

Then, Blizzard began to growl viciously as his eyes started to glow red. He felt his heart racing and his muscles growing stronger.

"Well," said Ivankov. "I guess it's the same."

XXX

Meanwhile, in a different level of Impel Down, Hannyabal is going through the mug shots of Bon Clay, Mr. 3, and Buggy.

"Mr. 2, Mr. 3, and Buggy the Clown," he said. "Are you sure these three went down to Level 5?" he asked two guards.

"Yes, it was a perfect disguise," said one of the guards.

Down on the floor, there lies Hannyabal's original headdress…bloody and ripped to shreds.

"All we found on Level 5 was this bloody headdress," said one of the guards. "Mr. 2 took 'Straw Hat' Luffy and 'White Wolf' Blizzard out of their cell, but it looks like they were all eaten by the wolves. Unless they've somehow outfoxed us. If that's the case, then both the Warden and the Vice Warden could get fired."

"WHAT?" Hannyabal questioned. "ME, TOO?"

XXX

Inside the elevator Level 6...

"You're late, sir!" Domino said to Magellan.

"You're too strict, Domino," said Magellan, who had just gotten through his diarrhea attack.

"From now on, please empty your empty bowls more quickly, sir!" said Domino.

"What you're asking me to do is impossible," said Magellan.

"We are meant to hand over the prisoner at exactly 0900, this morning," said Domino. "Failure to do so would ruin Impel Down's reputation as we know it."

**KLANK! KLANK!** The elevator starts going down…towards Level 6.

XXX

At Impel Down's entrance, Vice Admiral Onigumo is waiting with his convoy, smoking a cigarette.

"Until we have Portgas D. Ace in our custody and deliver him to Marine HQ in Marineford," Onigumo ordered his fleet, "we will remain on high alert! Is that understood, sailors?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Be ready for whatever comes!" Onigumo ordered. "We're working with five battleships under the command of five Vice Admirals! This escort must maintain tight security! Do your duty with all you've got!"

"Yes, sir!"

Outside the entrance, there are indeed five battleships at the ready.

XXX

On Level 5, Luffy, Blizzard, Ivankov, and Inazuma are running through the wolves' den.

"We've got to hurry," said Inazuma. "Even one minute could make all the difference!"

"I feel AWESOME!" Luffy cried.

_**ARROOOOOOOOOOOOOO~!**_ Blizzard howls, loudly.

_Man, these adrenaline hormones are some really powerful stuff!_ thought the wolf-dog. _I feel like I could keep on running for weeks!_

"It's not too far to go if we don't have to sneak around!" Ivankov exclaimed. "We're going to run straight on through!"

At that moment, the wolf pack appeared, and hungrier than before.

**Grr~!** The wolves growled, viciously.

The prisoners, meanwhile, gasped in surprise.

"Hey! Do you see that?" asked one of the prisoners.

"Yeah! Who is that?" asked another.

"No way! It's him! It's Ivankov!"

"Ivankov? But that's impossible! He's supposed to be dead!"

"Where'd he come from?"

**GRRRR!** The wolves growl as they lunge at Luffy, who punches and kicks them out of his way. **WHAM! WHAM! BAM!**

"Outta my way!" he shouted.

_You heard him!_ Blizzard shouted in his head. _MOVE YOUR TAILS!_

**SLASH! SLASH!** Blizzard delivers an X-Fang at the wolves, cutting the wolves down with an air-based bite.

**SHAK!** Inazuma reeled his leg up and sent another wolf flying with a powerful kick.

"Death WINK!"

**WINK! BOOM! YELP!** Ivankov winked and shot a blast of air at the wolves.

The quartet soon neared the door.

"Inazuma!" Ivankov ordered. "The keys! Now!"

"Yes, sir," said Inazuma.

**CHAK-CHAK! KLANK!** Inazuma unlocked the door and opens it.

"They'll be watching us from here on out," said Inazuma.

"Bring it on!" Luffy exclaimed as he ran in.

_We're going in!_ Blizzard thought as he followed.

XXX

Inside the monitor room, the baffled guards stared at the monitor screens in disbelief.

"We've located some suspicious persons!" proclaimed one. "There are people and what look like an animal in the passage between Level 5 and Level 6!" He then gasped in shock. "No way! It's…! It's Ivankov the King of the Queens! But he disappeared years ago! What the hell's going on here? How did he survive all this time?"

"And look!" said another guard. "The intruders, 'Straw Hat' Luffy and 'White Wolf' Blizzard are with him! How could Straw Hat still be alive? He was hit with all of the Warden's poisons!"

"Look there!" cried one more guard. "There's another Level 5 prisoner who had disappeared! It's Inazuma, the Revolutionary of the South Blue!"

"What is going? They're all heading for Level 6!"

"They must be on their way to rescue 'Fire Fist' Ace!"

At that moment, Hannyabal came to look at the monitors, and needless to say, he was in great shock.

"Right now, Domino and Warden Magellan are on their way to get 'Fire Fist'. They're on a collision course."

"So, they're alive, after all, eh?" asked Hannyabal. "Turn on all the traps in the passage, right now!" he ordered the jailers. "Contact the guard room on Level 6! Put them on red alert! Have the guards hold them off until Sadie and the Jailer Beasts arrive! And report this to Warden Magellan and to all staff on all floors, at once! That is all!"

The guards were indeed shocked.

_Vice Warden Hannyabal is being unusually serious,_ thought one. _Is this REALLY him?_

XXX

Back at the passage to Level 6, Luffy, Blizzard, Ivankov, and Inazuma are still rushing to Ace's rescue.

"Come on!" Luffy yelled. "We have to make it! We have to! HANG ON, ACE! I'M COMING!"

XXX

In Level 6, Magellan, Domino, and several other jailers arrived in front of Ace and Jimbei's cell.

"And now, Portgas D. Ace," said Magellan, "it's time for you to be taken to Marineford…where the gallows await you."

All Ace could do was heave a sigh…and hang his head in defeat.

_I'm sorry, Luffy,_ he thought.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

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><p>Review, please!<p> 


	17. The Infinite Hell

**Ch. 17- The Infinite Hell**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

Shichigoro © Samurai-Poet from deviantART

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><p><strong>THWAK!<strong> Another guard soon falls victim to Luffy's foot as he, Blizzard, Ivankov, and Inazuma ran down the stairs.

"Outta my way!" Luffy shouts. "Move it!"

XXX

Up in the guard room, Hannyabal and the staff watched the monitors in disbelief and horror. The traps were rendered useless and all the guards had been knocked out, cold!

"No!" Hannyabal cried. "It can't be!"

"**Attention! This is an emergency! Straw Hat Luffy, White Wolf Blizzard, The Queen-King Ivankov, and Inazuma the Revolutionary…THEY'VE REACHED LEVEL 6!"**

XXX

As Luffy's group raced down the stairs, Blizzard couldn't help but realize something that the others didn't.

_Fire Fist's scent…_ he thought. _I don't smell it coming from downstairs…don't tell me…!_

The moment they got down to Level 6, Luffy threw his head up and yelled, "ACE! WHERE ARE YOU? I'VE COME TO SAVE YOU! ACE~!"

They stood in front of the cell where Ace and Jimbei were kept. Jimbei is there, but Ace…he was nowhere to be found. All that could be seen were his shackles and some blood stains on the wall, but no Ace!

"W…where is he?" Luffy asked.

_No…_ Blizzard thought. _He's gone! Dammit all! We're too late!_

"Are vyou sure that is his cell?" Ivankov angrily asked a guard that he was holding by the collar of his shirt. "Are vyou absolutely sure?"

"Th…there's no mistake…!" the guard answered.

"It seems we were a few seconds too late!" Inazuma stated.

At that moment, Jimbei noticed the group, but his attention is mostly on Luffy.

_A boy with a straw hat…_ the Fishman thought. _So that's him! He really did come! He and his dog managed to penetrate the impregnable Impel Down all the way to Level 6!_

"You there! Boy!" Jimbei called to Luffy. "Are you the one they call Straw Hat Luffy?"

"Uh…yeah," Luffy answered.

"Quick!" Jimbei shouted. "You have to go after him! They just put Ace on the elevator!"

"Who're you?" Luffy asked.

"It doesn't matter!" Jimbei yelled. "Hurry and go, now, and you may still be able to save him! GO! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?"

_Hey,_ Blizzard thought. _I recognize that face from the old wanted posters! That's Sea Knight Jimbei, one of the Seven Warlords! But what's he doing here?_

"Uh…okay!" Luffy said to Jimbei. "Thanks a lot, whoever you are!"

**TMP! TMP!** Luffy turned and ran to the elevator with Blizzard, Ivankov, and Inazuma following behind.

_I don't believe it,_ thought Jimbei. _He and that dog must have risked his life countless times to get through the other five Hells!_

"There it is, up ahead!" Inazuma cried as he pointed to the elevator. "Let's go! The door is still open!"

"Yes, but the operation circuit is locked!" Ivankov cried as he tried to turn the crank, but it wouldn't budge.

"You mean we can't use it?" Inazuma questioned.

Luffy and Blizzard looked inside the elevator shaft.

"Maybe we'll be able to climb up," Luffy commented.

Blizzard instinctively looked up and gasped. There was a huge pad of spikes up above, coming right down on him and Luffy!

_HOLY CRAP!_ Blizzard cried in thought. **CHOMP!** He bit down on an unknowing Luffy's buttocks…pretty hard, too.

"YOOOOWW!" Luffy screamed.

**YANK! KRASH!** Blizzard pulled Luffy away from the elevator, just as the spikes came crashing down.

"I knew it!" Ivankov said. "It couldn't have been that easy! Look!" He pointed at a Visual Transponder Snail on the wall. "They were ready for us the whole time! They've rendered the elevator useless!"

"Then we'll have to take the stairs!" Inazuma said.

**THUMP!** Luffy threw his fist on the ground in frustration before he got up and followed the two Revolutionaries back to the stairs. Before they could reach them, though, **KROOM!** A huge cage drops down in front of them, closing off their only way out!

"Dammit!" Luffy cursed. "We can't use the stairs, either!"

"They're hoping to trap us by closing off all the exits!" Ivankov exclaimed. "It looks like we'll have to bust our way out of here!"

**FWOOS~H!** Some strange gas came in through the bars of the cage.

"Gas!" Inazuma cried.

_Oh, god, I hope it's not poisonous!_ Blizzard thought.

"Hey!" shouted one of the prisoners. "I don't know who the hell you bastards are, but don't get us involved in your crazy schemes!"

"Vyou shut up, vyou Level 6 baddies!" shouted Ivankov.

"I don't care if it's poisonous or not!" Luffy shouted before he ran to the cage with a roar.

**FWUMP!** Luffy fell face-first on the ground and began to snore.

_Are you kidding?_ Blizzard thought, sweat-dropping.

"It appears to be sleeping gas," said Inazuma.

"You're too reckless, Straw Hat Boy!" Ivankov shouted.

"They're trying to put us all to sleep, along with all the prisoners on this floor," said Inazuma.

"But…this is our only way out!" Ivankov cried.

XXX

In the monitor room…

"Vice-Warden, sir!" said one of the guards to Hannyabal. "We've sealed Level 6! The sleeping gas is powerful, and they've got nowhere to run!"

"Have all security personnel arm themselves and stand by, just in case," said Hannyabal. "Did you contact Warden Magellan?"

"Yes, sir!" answered the guard.

XXX

Meanwhile, on Level 1, near the big elevator, Ace had found out about Luffy being on Level 6, and had attempted to fight the guards off and go back in an attempt to save Luffy, to no avail, for Magellan had roughly pinned him down to the floor by his head.

"LUFFY!" Ace cried.

"You heard the report," said Magellan. "Quit resisting. You and your brother are both pirates. Neither of you have a prayer here!"

_Dammit!_ Ace cursed in thought. _I was really hoping it wasn't true! Why in the HELL did you come here, Luffy?_

"How did Straw Hat manage to survive for this long?" Magellan questioned.

XXX

On Level 6, the gas was flooding the whole floor, knocking out many prisoners.

"Hey!" coughed one of the prisoners. "Do something! Do something about…zzzz…"

"The gas is spreading out through the entire level!" another prisoner cried. "Someone, do something!"

**SNIP! SNIP! SNIP! SNIP! SNIP!** Inazuma was…cutting up the floor with a pair of giant scissors for hands!

Shichigoro eyed Inazuma, somewhat impressed by his skill.

"Do you see that?" asked one of the prisoners. "He's cutting up the stone floor like it's paper! How is he doing that?"

**FWUP! THWAK! THWAK! THWAK!** Inazuma threw the "sheets" of stone wall over the bars of the cage, thus shutting out the gas.

"Whoa!" said another prisoners. "Look at that! He used the stone to block out the gas! Amazing!"

"Inazuma has eaten the Snip-Snip Devil Fruit," Ivankov explained. "He can manipulate anything he cuts like paper!"

At that moment, Luffy woke up.

"Hey!" he cried. "What the hell are you doing, Crabby? I need to get outta here! How am I get supposed to get to Ace if you close off the stairway!"

"It was the only way to stop the gas," Inazuma replied. "How do you plan to rescue your brother if you're unconscious?"

_He does have a point, you know,_ Blizzard thought.

"It doesn't matter if I'm unconscious or not!" Luffy shouted. "I have to rescue Ace, or else he's gonna get executed!"

_That makes absolutely no sense!_ Blizzard thought.

"Don't be rash," Inazuma said. "I hate to admit it, but the enemy has outwitted us. We're trapped here, on Level 6, with no way out."

Luffy gasped.

_Oh, crap,_ Blizzard cursed in his head.

"All we can do now is deprive them of visual information!" states Ivankov. "The sad truth is…we were too late. They've taken Ace Boy all the way to the top floor. He's probably already aboard a battleship, by now. Meanwhile, we have enemies in front of us to deal with! Look at the Vivre Card. Isn't it pointing straight up, now?"

Luffy looks down at Ace's Vivre Card, which is indeed pointing straight upward.

_Fire Fist…_ Blizzard thought. _He's been handed over to the Marines._

XXX

Outside, Magellan, accompanied by the guards, has just handed Ace over to a Marine officer.

He was well on his way to Marineford…where his execution would be taking place.

XXX

"It's time to change our objective," Ivankov declared. "We need to get vyou and White Wolf Boy out of this prison! Ace Boy is well on his way to Marine Headquarters.. Just give it up, Straw Hat Boy. Leave the rest up to Whitebeard."

A pause.

"No," Luffy answered.

"What?" Ivankov questioned.

"Blizzard and I have to go," Luffy began, a look of determination and seriousness in his eyes that Blizzard knew all too well, "to Marine Headquarters!"

_You CAN'T be serious!_ Blizzard thought in disbelief._ The gas must've gone to your brain and made you talk crazier than before!_

"Don't be foolish, Straw Hat Boy!" Ivankov yelled. "Vyou and White Wolf Boy will be caught up in a battle between the strongest people in the entire world! Do you even realized how powerful Whitebeard is? Or the Admirals or the Vice Admirals of the Marines? Do you even realized how strong the Seven Warlords are, combined? Any of them could easily kill vyou both on the spot, quick as a wink!"

"If I give up, now," Luffy started, "then I'll regret for the rest of my life! I'm going, and you won't stop me!"

Ivankov gasped.

_This…this feeling,_ the King-Queen thought. _I've experienced it before! It's the same thing I've felt with Dragon!_

Blizzard just heaved a sigh.

_Luffy, seriously,_ he thought. _I love you, and I understand how you feel, but please, FOR ONCE, think about what you're putting at risk, here! Seriously!_

"But first," Inazuma said to Luffy, "we need to find a way to get off this floor."

"If you want out of here," said a familiar, grisly voice, "then set me free! I can make a hole in the ceiling! What do you say, Straw Hat? Heh-heh-heh…"

Luffy gasped. He recognized that voice. He turned around to face the owner.

"Huh?" he muttered before he put on an angered face. "You! You're here, too? Crocodile?"

Inside one of the cells, there he was: the former Warlord and former president of Baroque Works, Crocodile, A.K.A Mr. 0, now dressed in a prison uniform and chained with sea prism stone cuffs.

Luffy hadn't seen Crocodile ever since the Alabasta incident…and he sure as hell wasn't happy to see him, now.

"I didn't think there'd be anything for me to do if I were free," Crocodile said, "but you say that there's going to be a war between Whitebeard and the Marines, correct? Then now's my chance to take that old geezer's head."

_So this is THE Crocodile that I heard about in Luffy's stories,_ Blizzard thought. _Damn, he was right about him. He IS ugly!_

"I definitely don't want to miss this war!" Crocodile stated. "With my powers, I can get you all out of here. What do you think? It's a pretty good deal for both you and me, am I right?"

"Screw you!" Luffy shouted. "No way am I making a deal with you, Croc! Don't forget, you messed up Vivi's country!"

"That's all water under the bridge," said Crocodile. "I have no interest in Alabasta, anymore."

"Let's set him free, Straw Hat Boy," said Ivankov. "He could be a big help to us. If vyou want to go on to Marine HQ, then I suggest you to take him up on his offer."

_As much I hate to admit it, which I really can't,_ Blizzard thought, _I agree, Luffy._

"What?" Luffy questioned. "But, Iva, he-"

"Well, well," Crocodile growled. "If it isn't Ivankov?"

"Long time, no see, eh, Croc Boy?" Ivankov asked.

"Huh?" Luffy muttered. "You mean you know him?"

"Oh, yes," Ivankov replied. "We go way aback. I knew him when he was just a rookie. But it's okay. We don't have to trust him. If he tries any funny business, I'll fix him. Mm-hmm-hmm…I happen to know his weakness. However, if vyou are good, Croc Boy, and help us, then I'll keep my mouth shut! WAHOO!"

"You bastard," Crocodile snarled.

"Hey!" called one of the inmates. "How about you bust me out, too!"

"Yeah!" agreed another. "I wanna kill Whitebeard, too!"

"SHUT IT!" Ivankov shouted. "DEATH WINK!"

**ZHEEN!** Ivankov's powerful wink hit's the inmates.

"For the love of God!"

Luffy and Blizzard turned to face Jimbei.

"Please, I'm begging you!" the Fishman cried. "Take me with you! I can be a great asset to you! I've known Ace ever since he joined up with the Whitebeard Pirates! I've heard so much about you, his little brother, for all these years! I was thrown in here because I opposed this war! Please, I want to save Ace, too! Give me the chance to die in battle!"

Another pause.

"Oh," Ivankov gasped. "Looks like we've got another big one, here!"

Blizzard looked up at Luffy, but he had already expected what the Straw Hat captain would say.

"Okay," Luffy said.

"Are you serious?" Inazuma questioned. "You don't know a thing about this man! He's dangerous!"

"It's all right," Luffy answered. "Let him go."

"I'm in your debt!" Jimbei cried.

_As expected from you, Luffy,_ Blizzard thought. _What the hell…you know that I don't have a choice. I gotta go with you, whether I like it or not…but I swear…you're gonna be the death of me, one day._

"Hey, come on!" said another prisoner. "Me, too! I owe you one, for the love of God!"

"SHUT UP!" Ivankov shouted. "DEATH WINK!"

**ZHEEN!** He hits the prisoners with another wink.

**CHINK!** Inazuma turns into his index finger and thumb into scissor blades, and uses them to pick the locks of the cells and unlock Jimbei's and Crocodile's shackles.

"Right, then!" Ivankov cried. "We must hurry! We'll have to break out of this prison by force! WAHOO!"

"Listen and listen good, Crocodile!" Jimbei snapped. "I won't let you lay your hand or your dirty hook on Whitebeard! Do you hear me?"

"Do you want us settle this, now?" inquired Crocodile.

"Now we have two Warlords on our side," said Inazuma. "That is, if you count Crocodile."

"Wait, two?" Luffy asked. "Who's the other one?"

_Are you serious?_ Blizzard thought.

"Hey!" cried one of the prisoners. "Let us out, too! Come on!"

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

* * *

><p>Review, please!<p> 


	18. The Greatest Ever

**Ch. 18- The Greatest Ever**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>The guards quickly rushed down the stairs, masks on their faces and rifles in their hands, prepared to apprehend the criminals that they had trapped on Level 6...or so they think.<p>

"**Stay on your toes! Remember that Straw Hat, Ivankov, and Inazuma all have Devil Fruit powers! Be sure to arm yourselves with prison bullets!"**

**BOOM!** The guards broke the shields that Inazuma had made.

"We've reached Level 6!" said one of the guards.

"**Be careful! The enemy is waiting there!"**

As the dust cleared, the guards gasped in shock and surprise. There, in front of them, is a huge stone spiral, going right through the ceiling!

"Who made that?"

"There's this giant hole in the ceiling!"

"Where are those four? Find them!"

The guards disperse, searching the room for Luffy, Blizzard, Ivankov, and Inazuma, when suddenly…

"What kind of idiots would stick around after making an escape route?" asked a voice.

The guards turned and saw the owner of the voice: the Ex-Head Jailer, Shiryu.

"Head Jailer Shiryu!" said one of the girls.

"Just look at you all," said Shiryu with a toothy smirk. "You're totally and completely ineffectual without me. You can't do anything right. This is definitely a failure of epic proportions, a stain on the reputation of Impel Down. The four that you're looking for freed Crocodile and Jimbei…"

"What?"

"And went through to Level 5 through that hole," Shiryu said.

He then grinned wider.

"Tell Magellan," he begins, "that I'm willing to help!"

"W-what?" questioned the guard. "B-but-"

XXX

In the monitor room, a number of guards are running all around, seemingly panicked by the situation, and Hannyabal has just been given a report.

"Crocodile and Jimbei?" he asked.

"**Their cells are empty!"**

Hannyabal growls in frustration.

"So, we tried to trap them on Level 6," he said. "Instead, they managed to outfox us! You mean to tell me that all six of them have gone up to Level 5! Is that it?"

He then turns to another guard.

"Do you think that I could possibly be held responsible for this mess, too?" he asked him, sweating nervously.

"Warden Magellan is conducting a separate mission elsewhere," the guard replied, "s-so all the blame will fall on you, sir!"

"Fine then!" Hannyabal shouted as he turned to leave. "If it's a fight those criminals want, then I'm willing to give it to them! ALL GUARDS TO LEVEL 4!"

He grabbed the Transponder Snail.

"**SADIE! SALDEATH!"** he shouted into it. **"HURRY WITH YOUR SUBORDINATES TO LEVEL 4, ON THE DOUBLE! I'M WILLING TO RISK MY LIFE TO BECOME THE CHIEF WARDEN! Whoops! I mean, WE HAVE TO WIN THIS WAR OR DIE TRYING!"**

XXX

In Level 5, the Frozen Hell…

"Are vyou ready?" Ivankov asked his army of New Kamas, who are now wrapped p in coats.

"Even if we do manage to make it to the main hall," Ivankov began, "we'll still have serious problems to overcome! We are on the inescapable Calm Belt."

"S-so cold!" said one of the candy boys.

"Brrrr~!" another shivered.

"We'll have to steal some battleships to get to Marine Headquarters!" Ivankov exclaimed. "And that will require a lot of manpower! We need more people! The truth is, right now, only a handful of vyou will make it to the first floor without getting vyourselves caught, and if they do catch vyou, they'll torture vyou and won't give vyou a shred of mercy! Do vyou understand me? Our chances of survival increase the more prisoners you free between here and Level 1! We have to steal the keys along the way and release as many inmates as we possibly can!"

He threw his arms up into the air, just as the wolves are beginning to surround them, once more.

"We shall cause a riot like Impel Down has never seen before!" he cried. "The greatest ever!"

"Yeah!" the New Kamas cheered in agreement.

"Now, let's go, Straw Hat Boy!" Ivankov shouted.

"He, White Wolf, Crocodile, and Jimbei already charged off, sir," Inazuma stated.

"Wait for us! WAAHOO!"

With that, Ivankov ran with his New Kamas following behind him.

"Let's go, my candies!" he ordered.

"WAIT! SOMEBODY HELP ME~!"

**WIP! WIP! WIP! WIP! WIP!** Way in the back, Bon Clay is spinning around like mad. Ivankov had given him a dose of his Energy Hormones, too. Unfortunately, the results proved to be too much for Bon Clay to handle.

"STOP ME!" he cried.

**BLEGH!** He throws up.

"THAT BOOST WAS TOO STRONG FOR YOU!" the New Kamas shouted.

XXX

In the stairway between Level 5 and Level 6, Luffy, Blizzard, Crocodile, and Jimbei are hurrying up the stairs as fast their legs could carry them. Well, Luffy, Blizzard, and Jimbei are running. Crocodile is using his Sand-Sand powers to simply fly up the stairs.

If one was to look closely, they could see that he has now donned a black shirt, a green scarf, dark gray slacks, and a black overcoat with tan fur trimmings.

"It's almost 10:00 am," Jimbei huffed. "Ace's execution is at three o'clock! They'll definitely wait until that times comes. So if Whitebeard's going to make a move, it'll be a few hours before that. Ace is already aboard the ship. The war could begin at any moment!"

"So you mean they won't kill Ace before three?" Luffy questioned. "Then we still got a shot!"

_No time to lose!_ Blizzard thought.

As they keep running, the four suddenly that a door is blocking their path, and it's locked.

_Dammit,_ Blizzard cursed in his head. _Now what?_

"Humph," Crocodile grunts as he surges toward the door, ahead of Luffy, Blizzard, and Jimbei.

"Doors mean nothing to me," he said. "This right hand of mine holds the power of thirst, itself!"

Crocodile places his hand on the door.

To recap, Crocodile's Sand-Sand Fruit powers allow him to turn into sand, as well as control any sand that's around him. His hands sucks the moisture out of anything he touches. People and plants wither and rocks will crumble to sand.

**WMMM…SHWUNK! KROOSH…KA-BOOSH!** The door begins to disintegrate into sand. However, by the time Crocodile finishes, it is revealed that not only have the quartet of escapees made it to Level 4, but there is a great number of jailers waiting for them, armed with pitchforks and rifles.

"**This is Level 4!"** One of the jailers reported into a Transponder Snail. **"They're here! The escaped prisoner form Level 6, Warlord Jimbei…"**

"So this is Level 4," Jimbei mused.

"**Intruders, Monkey D. Luffy and Blizzard…"**

"It's hot," Luffy stated, out-of-the-blue.

_Yeah, it is,_ Blizzard thought. _But…it's not bothering me very much like it used to._

"**And former Warlord, Crocodile! They're here! Requesting backup!"**

"Fire!" one of the jailers ordered.

**BOOM! BOOM!** They fire their rifles at Crocodile, only for the shots to go straight through him, due to his Devil Fruit powers.

"Crescent CUTLASS!" he cried.

**SWASH!** Crocodile swings his right arm forward, leaving a crescent-shaped trail behind it and hitting the jailers as he did.

The jailers screamed, now reduced to dehydrated mummies.

"Grab White Wolf!" one of the jailers cried. "Don't let him get away!"

Blizzard bobbed and weaved between the guards before he turned to face them.

_Bullet FANG!_

**BANG! CHOMP!** Blizzard lunges at the jailers at such a high-speed, that he couldn't be seen, and bites the jailers with quick succession.

"Fire the prison bullets!"

"Get Straw Hat!"

**BLAM! BLAM! SWIP!** The jailers fired their guns at Luffy, but he was much too fast for them, and he manages to jump onto a huge chain. **THWIP!** He then flips upside down and face the jailers.

"Gum-GUUUUUM…RAIN!"

**KRAAASH!** Luffy let loose with his rapid-fire punches on the jailers as he is descending from his fall, like he was using Gum-Gum Storm, only he didn't inflate his body and wound it up beforehand.

Unfortunately, he didn't seem to see Blizzard down there, either.

_YIKES!_ Blizzard yelped in thought as he dodges the punches with relative ease. _Luffy, stop! Take it easy! I'M DOWN HERE, TOO!_

"Fishman Karate," Jimbei said as he takes a fighting stance. "Arabesque BRICK FIST!"

**WHUP!** Jimbei thrusts his right fist forward, and the jailers flinched…but nothing happened. The jailers glanced at each other, confused. Was Jimbei just trying to fake them out?

Apparently not.

**BOOM!** A big shockwave sends them all flying back!

"Whoa!" cried one of the guards. "What kind of a punch was that? How are we supposed to fight something like that?"

"We're up against two pirates that are worth 300,250,00 Berries combined, plus two Warlords!" exclaimed another jailer.

"Stand you ground!" said one more. "We have to hold them off as best we can until reinforcements arrive!"

XXX

Meanwhile in Level 2, the Beast Hell, the manticores are patrolling the floor, mumbling words such as "camisole" and "underpants".

"Huh?" a familiar voice muttered behind what looked like a wall made of wax. "Something's up. Come take a look, Buggy."

Behind the wall, it is revealed that Buggy and Mr. 3 are hiding behind it to avoid getting caught by the manticores and other beasts that stalked the floor.

"I overheard one of their transmissions," said Mr. 3. "Something's going on out there. Look."

Down below, the Blugori are running off, as well as the guards.

"The guards and the Blugori are leaving," Mr. 3 stated.

"**All hands to Level 4!"** ordered one of the staff from the monitor room.

"There must be a big ruckus going on somewhere," said Mr. 3. "Now's our big chance!"

Buggy hung upside-down in front of one of the cells.

"Are we ready, men?" he asked with a toothy grin.

The inmates each held up their own ring of keys, only these appeared to be white and made of wax.

"These duplicates wax keys that Mr. 3 made are perfect!" one said.

Buggy and Mr. 3 had been through quite an ordeal these past 20 hours. After being chased by the wolves on Level 5, hiding behind wax walls to sneak past the surveillance Transponder Snails, and tiptoeing around, they have finally managed to make it all the way back to Level 2 without getting caught, again.

"Just a little bit farther, now," Mr. 3 said, tearfully, "and then, we'll be free at last!"

XXX

Inside one of the monitoring rooms, one of the guards picks up the Transponder Snail and began to report to Hannyabal, who is on his way to Level 4 with his small army.

"**Vice Warden! This is the monitoring room!"**

"What is it?" Hannyabal questioned.

"**Something's wrong!"**

"Oh. Well, I think that this jackal headdress I'm wearing is actually-"

"**There are people creeping around Level 2! The inmates are being let out!"**

"WHAAAAAT?"

XXX

Back on Level 2, the prisoners are indeed letting out their fellow inmates.

**CHAK!** One of them unlocked the cells with the keys made by Mr. 3.

"Thanks, man!" said one of the prisoners, gratefully.

"Don't thank me," said the one who unlocked the cell. "Save your gratitude for Captain Buggy."

**CHAK! CHAK!** More cells were being unlocked by the inmates.

"**Level 2 guards! What are you doing down there?"**

"We're on our way to Level 4, as ordered!" said one of the guards.

"**No! I want you to search Level 2!"**

"L…Level 2?" the guard murmured as he turned around.

Up on one of the rafters, Buggy and Mr. 3 are standing there, the former laughing proudly.

"Looks like Lady Luck is on our side, partner!" Buggy whispered to Mr. 3. "If we start up another riot here, we can take advantage of the chaos and sneak on board one of the battleships outside!"

"Then we'll be free men!" Mr. 3 whispered. "Straw Hat, his mutt, and Mr. 2 are already dead, and even if they did somehow manage to survive, there's nothing we can do for them. They'll be spending the rest of their lives behind bars."

"I have to worry about myself, now! Too bad for them!" Buggy laughed in a hushed voiced.

He then threw his hands up in the air and cackled.

"Come on, men!" he yelled. "Now's our chance! If you want a taste of freedom, then make as big a ruckus as you possibly can!"

Down below, nearly all the prisoners have been let out, and they were cheering and howling like wild animals.

"YEAAAAHHH~!"

"LET THE GAMES BEGIN!"

"ALL HAIL THE GREAT CAPTAIN BUGGY! OUR SAVIOR!"

The guards gasped in shock.

XXX

Back with Hannyabal, he is just receiving a report from the guards.

"**V-Vice Warden! Th-this is Level 2! Th-the prisoners! They've escaped, and they're rioting, again!"**

Hannyabal made a surprised noise.

"**PLEASE! SEND THE BLUGORI BACK HERE! WE CAN'T RESTRAIN THEM ALL BY OURSELVES! PLEASE, SIR!"**

XXX

On Level 4, the Inferno Hell…

**KLINK!** Someone threw a ring of keys onto the floor of a cell.

"Hey, look! Keys!" exclaimed one of the inmates as he reached for them. "Now we can finally get outta here! Thanks, friend- wait, WHAT? IT'S CROCODILE!"

"I was thinking about escaping from this godforsaken place," said a grinning Crocodile, "but…I needed more men. So, do you want to come along with me…Mr. 1?"

Inside the cell, Mr. 1 sat on the bench, staring at the floor, until he sits up and raises his shackled hands.

"I'll come with you," said Mr. 1. "I was starting to get bored of this place, myself."

XXX

With Hannyabal, again…

"**This is Level 4!"**

"What is it, NOW?" asked Hannyabal in an irritated tone.

"**Ivankov, Inazuma, and your sworn enemy, Mr. 2 are back…and…and they've brought!"**

"An ARMY?" Hannyabal repeated, shocked.

"**That's not all, sir! You won't believe who's with them! All the prisoners who disappeared because of the Devil's Invitation! It's definitely them!"**

"WHAT? WHAT CAN THIS MEAN?"

XXX

On Level 4, Ivankov, Inazuma, Bon Clay, and all the New Kamas are charging, armed with guns, swords, and all sorts of weapons!

At that moment, Luffy notices Bon Clay, spinning around and kicking guards, just as he finished punching out one, himself.

"Hey, Bon!" Luffy said, smiling. "Did Iva boost you up, too?"

"I feel FANTASTIC!" Bon Clay cheered as he twirled around, but then, he noticed Mr. 1 running out from his cell.

"WAAAH!" he cried. "MR.1? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

Mr. 1 didn't answer him.

"Uh, wait," Luffy said as he started to run with the others. "Who's he again?"

"Your swordsman friend with the haramaki sash beat him back in Alabasta, remember?" Bon Clay replied.

"Oh," Luffy said. "Never heard of him."

"DIE~!" cried one of the jailers, but then, **CHOMP!** Blizzard jumped at him and bit down, right on his throat, snapping his neck and drawing blood as he did.

XXX

On the stairs leading to Level 4, Hannyabal is gripping his head, trying to figure out what to do. On one hand, he could go back and help quell the riot that is going on in Level 2, but then, if he did, he'd be letting Luffy and the others get away!

"W-w-what do I do?" the Vice Warden stammered. "WHAT DO I DO?"

XXX

"Emporio FACE GROWTH SYTHENSIS!"

**SHUNK! SHUNK!** Ivankov stabbed his fingers into his own face.

"WAAAH!" one of the jailers cried. "Look at that army of weirdoes!"

"**It's no use! They can't be stopped! All the prisoners who disappeared…they're back! And look at what they're wearing! They're unstoppable! AND THEY'RE DRESSED TO KILL!"**

Luffy, Blizzard, Ivankov, Inazuma, Bon Clay, Crocodile, Mr. 1, Jimbei, and the army of New Kamas. This small army fought there way through the number of jailers…and there was no way they can be kept under control, now.

"WAH!" Bon Clay cried, finally noticing his former boss. "CROCODILE? YOU'RE HERE, TOO?"

"Let's go!" Luffy shouted. "To Marine Headquarters!"

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

* * *

><p>Sorry I took so long updating. I mean to have this up last Wednesday.<p>

Review, please!


	19. Yet Another Epic Incident

**Ch. 19- Yet Another Epic Incident**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>The waves lapped against the hull of the battleships as they begin to sail away from Impel Down.<p>

"There appears to be an unprecedented riot on Impel Down," said Vice-Admiral Onigumo. "And the ring leaders behind it is Monkey D. Luffy and 'White Wolf' Blizzard."

On board one of them, Onigumo turned away from Ace, who sat on a chair, locked in chains.

"Take a good, long look at the sky, Fire Fist," said Onigumo, "because once we get you on the execution platform in Marineford and your shackles have been locked…it's the last thing you'll ever see."

Ace stared up at the sky, watching three seagulls fly away, before he looked down in defeat.

So this is it. It appeared that Ace has accepted his fate.

XXX

Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters…

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"

"Did you find him?!"

"No! We can't find him, anywhere!"

There is quite a commotion going on in Sengoku's office as a panicked Vice-Admiral came storming into the room.

"'Fire Fist' Ace is going to be executed in just over five hours from now!" said the Vice-Admiral. "Whitebeard could attack at any moment! Meanwhile, the Warlord Blackbeard…BLACKBEARD IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND!"

Sengoku gasped.

"And that's not all, sir! A battleship that wasn't given clearance to embark…arrived just now, at Impel Down!"

Sengoku froze.

"We don't think that this is related, sir, but…"

XXX

Back at Impel Down, at the Main Entrance, the guards suddenly came to the pier and readied their weapons as a group of mysterious figures made their way towards the prison from one of the battleships…that has just arrived…?

"W-wait! Hold on, please! He haven't requested reinforcements!"

"We have an emergency going on, right now! We can't be held responsible for this!"

"We'll request confirmation from headquarters right away!"

"I don't care," said a familiar grisly voice. "After all, aren't we supposed to be on the same side, here?"

"But it is strictly forbidden for any pirate to go near the prison…what the?!"

The guards suddenly felt themselves sinking…into the pier- or rather into a dark void as the figures walked passed them.

"AAAAAAAAH!" they screamed before they were completely engulfed.

The figures are revealed to be…the Blackbeard Pirates.

"It's all right," said Blackbeard. "I'm with the Government now, am I right?"

"Man, what a gloomy place this is! WEE-HA-HA!" laughed Burgess.

"Zehahaha…!" Blackbeard laughed.

"**Reporting, sir!"** said one of the staff. **"The Marine crew of Blackbeard's battleship…has been annihilated!"**

At that moment, a troop of Marines appeared the Blackbeard crew and pointed their rifles at them.

"Stop right there!" said one of the Marines. "All of you!"

Blackbeard turned to face the Marines with a sick grin and snicker.

"LIBERATION!"

**BLOOOOOOF!** Blackbeard released all the things that he had engulfed upon the Marines, including the guards. They are all bloody…and looked absolutely terrified.

"Look! It's the guards that he swallowed!" said a Marine.

"Hey, are you all right? Hang in there!"

"D…darkness…!" gasped one of the guards. "M…make it stop!"

"**It's Marshall D. Teach, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea! It's Blackbeard and his crew! He's entering the prison with clearly malicious intentions, and WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HE WANTS HERE! AWAITING ORDERS, SIR- AAAAH!"**

**BZZZT! KLIK!**

The line went dead…

XXX

Inside the prison, Hannyabal is foaming at the mouth, beside himself with panic.

_That's it! That's IT!_ Hannyabal thought. _It's over! My life is over! Oh, wait! It's just the beginning! It's only the beginning of a life of frustration at never being able to attain my dream! I'll never be the Warden at this rate!"_

**SWUMP!** The Vice-Warden started to reel backwards.

"Vice-Warden!"

"Get a hold of yourself, sir!"

"How can I?!" Hannyabal shouted. "Straw Hat Luffy and White Wolf Blizzard are on Level 4, Buggy the Clown is on Level 2, and Blackbeard's at the main entrance! WHERE AM I SUPPOSED TO START?!"

He suddenly faced one of the guards.

"I know!" he said. "Let's go back to the monitor room and eat some yummy rice cakes!"

"ARE YOU MAD, VICE-WARDEN?!" asked the guard. "PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER, SIR! YOU MUST PROTECT IMPEL DOWN!"

"THAT'S EASY FOR YOU TO SAY!" Hannyabal argued. "YOUR HEAD ISN'T ON THE LINE, UNLIKE MINE!"

**BELLIP-BELLIP-BELLIP! BELLIP-BELLIP-BELLIP! KOCHUP!** One of the Mini Transponder Snail rang and the guard picked it up.

"**Hannyabal! Can you hear me?"**

"Oh! Warden Magellan, sir!" the guard said. "Where are you right now?!"

XXX

On his way from Level 2, Magellan is there with Domino and another guard, his hands dripping with poison, and all around him, the prisoners were drenched in it, as well as suffocating from the Poison Spider Cloud.

"I've dealt with these rioting fools on Level 2," spoke Magellan into the Transponder Snail.

"**WHAT?!"** Hannyabal cried on the other line.

"I've sealed off all the exits from that floor," Magellan explained. "They'll all be immobilized, soon."

XXX

On Level 2, Buggy and Mr. 3, as well the riot that they've been leading, have found, to their horror, that one of the ways out of the floor has been blocked off by an oozing wall of poison.

"Captain Buggy!" cried one of the prisoners. "This passage has been cut off by poison, too!"

"Damn that Magellan!" Buggy cursed. "That cheater!"

"This is terrible! Just terrible!" Mr. 3 cried.

XXX

"I have no idea why Blackbeard would want to attack us," Magellan begins, "but I've already taken a measure against him and his crew, even though it pained me to do so. We can't ask for reinforcements from Marine Headquarters, so we'll have to deal with the situation ourselves. Do what you can to suppress the riot at Level 4! I will be heading there soon, myself."

XXX

"**Until then, try to hold out!"**

Hannyabal is in tears as a…rather ironic sense of relief overcomes him.

"YEAH, WARDEN~! WARDEN, WARDEN, WARDEN!" he suddenly cheers as he starts to spin his arm around and around.

"Sir! Let's go, already!" said one of the guards.

XXX

Meanwhile, on Level 6, one prisoner has been let out of his cell by the guards: Shiryu of the Rain.

Shiryu is revealed to be a rather large man, as tall as Blackbeard in height. He has a black officer's cap with a red stripe that has white ear-flips on the sides, and maroon gloves. The bill of his hat seemed to be kept rather low, slightly obscuring his eyes. He also possesses a prominent chin. Unlike the other prisoners, however, he is wearing the uniform worn by most of the staff of Impel Down. He did have devil-like to go with the outfit, like Magellan's and Hannyabal's, but now, he wears a long white, yellow, and black jacket draped over the uniform, like a cape, and on the back of the jacket is the kanji for prison.

**FWIK!** Shiryu flicked on his lighter and lit his cigar.

"I learned my lesson, all right," said Shiryu. "Endless boredom is worse than death. But let's get one thing straight here: you're not going to make me work, and then send me right back into my cell, right…Magellan?"

"**You're on a reprieve from death row,"** said Magellan from the other end of the Transponder Snail. **"There won't be a next time."**

"Right," said Shiryu. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Here is your sword, sir," said one of the guards as he hands Shiryu a long-bladed katana with a square guard and a sheath that is white on the top half and red on the bottom half.

"**I'm leaving Blackbeard to you, Shiryu,"** said Magellan.

"Understood," said Shiryu.

**KLANK!** The Transponder Snail fell asleep as Magellan fell asleep.

Shiryu snickered as he held up his katana and started to slowly unsheathe it.

"My sword," he said to himself. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

The guards seemed confused at first, but then, **SLASH!** Shiryu lunges at them, quick as a flash, and cuts them all down!

"AAAAAAAGH!" the guards screamed until they fell to the floor.

"Sorry about that," Shiryu said, nonchalantly.

XXX

In Level 4, Luffy and Blizzard are still leading the riot, fighting off the jailers as they kept running.

"Hey, Crabby!" Luffy called to Inazuma as he coiled his arm around a guard's neck. "Where are the stairs to Level 3?"

"They're over there!" Inazuma replied as he pointed with his scissor hand.

"Oh, no!" cried one of the jailers. "They've reached the guard-room and they've gotten the keys!"

**CHAK! CHAK!** The New Kamas unlocked the cells using the keys they've stolen.

"Come with us!" said one.

"Get out of that cell if you want your freedom!" said another.

"This is your big chance to escape!" said one more.

"You're letting us out?" asked an inmate. "Thanks!"

However, just when the prisoners have been let out, **BOOM! BOOM! SHWAK!** Something huge attacks them.

"AAAH! LOOK OUT! IT'S THE BLUGORI!"

Indeed it is. The Blugori have now been set loose upon the escaping inmates and the New Kama, and who else should be there but Saldeath, playing his pitchfork flute?

_Dammit!_ Blizzard thought. _Why now?!_

"Get them, Blugori!" Saldeath ordered as he continued play his flute.

"Commander Saldeath! We're depending on you!" shouted a guard.

"Go get that freak with the giant head, Blugori!" shouted another.

"Giant head?" Ivankov repeated. "Don't be ridiculous! I don't have a giant head! It's just my face growth synthesis!"

"Get them, Blugori!" the guards ordered.

**TMP! TMP! TMP! TMP!** The Blugori came charging at Ivankov, armed with their axes. **WOOF-WOOF!** Blizzard barked out to Ivankov.

_Hey! Look out!_ he shouted in thought.

"Hell…WINK!"

**ZHEEN! ZHEEN!** Ivankov unleashed a powerful wink on the Blugori, taking them all out in just one shot!

_Whoa!_ Blizzard thought. _That's one hell of a wink!_

**THUD! THWUD! FWUMP!** The Blugori are sent flying back, some of them even ended up landing on top of the jailers.

"He took out the Blugori with just one shot!"

"I don't understand! What the hell is he?!"

**UHO…!** One Blugori groaned in pain.

"Straw Hat Boy! White Wolf Boy!" Ivankov called to Luffy and Blizzard. "Vyou two can't linger here! Leave this to us and go on ahead! Keep moving forward! Keep moving up! Hurry and go!"

"Got it!" Luffy said. "Thanks a lot, Iva! Blizzard! Let's go, buddy!"

**ARF!** Blizzard barked in agreement as he prepared to follow Luffy, but then, they are stopped by screams of terror.

_What was that?_ Blizzard thought.

"HELP! IT'S THE JAILER BEASTS!"

"ALL FOUR OF 'EM!"

Minotaurus, Minokoala, Minorhinoceros, and Minozebra are all attacking the prisoners and the New Kamas with their weapons. If one were to look closely, they'd see that Minotaurus now has bandages wrapped around his shoulder, the spot where Blizzard bit him.

That's not all. Sadie had arrived with them, as well.

"Hooray!" cheered a jailer. "Reinforcements! Miss Sadie and Jailer Beasts are here!"

_Dammit! Not them, too!_ Blizzard thought as he growled.

"Blizzard! Come on!" Luffy called. "We gotta go!"

"I'll help you, too, Luffy!" Jimbei said. "Although, I'm not sure how good I'll do on land."

"Really?" Luffy asked. "You seem pretty strong to me!"

_Well, duh!_ Blizzard thought. _He's a Warlord!_

"Go, my Jailer Beasts!" Sadie ordered. "Get those wretched fools!"

"AAAAH!

"SOMEBODY, HELP!"

Luffy, Blizzard, Jimbei, and Crocodile turned back to see the New Kamas and the inmates they freed getting pummeled by the Jailer Beasts, screaming in agony. **KRASH! KRAK! THWAK! POW!** The monsters' powerful weapons begin to lay waist to the army of rioters.

Crocodile sighed in frustration.

"Weaklings," he said.

"It's no use!" cried one of the New Kama. "They're just too powerful!"

"Guns and cannons just won't work!"

"HELP! SOMEONE! ANYONE!"

"There's no point in fighting a battle we can't win! Just turn and run away!"

"AAAAAAH! THEY'RE GONNA KILL US ALL!"

"The Blugori nothing compared to these monsters! Let's get outta here!"

"Aaahh~!" Sadie screamed with pleasure. "I just LOVE to hear those screams~!"

**KRAK! KRASH!** Minokoala is mercilessly punching someone with his spiked knuckles.

"AGH! HELP ME! HE'S KILLING ME!"

"THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!"

**WHUP!** Luffy suddenly jumps into the air.

"Gear THIRD! BONE BALLON!"

**CHOMP! FWOOMP!** He bites down on his thumb and began to blow air into his bones.

"Gum Gum…"

Blizzard opened his mouth, his fangs prepared to bite.

_X…_

"Fishman Karate, 5,000 Brick…"

**WHIRRR…!** Crocodile held up his hand, and a small whirlwind of sand appeared in his hand, and it began to grow bigger and bigger.

"Go get 'em, Jailer Beasts!" the guards and jailers cheered.

Unfortunately, the Jailer Beasts found that their attacks would mean nothing compared to the ones they were about to feel.

"GIANT PISTOL!"

_FANG!_

"FIST!"

"SABLES!"

**BAM! POW! SLISH! WHOOOSH!** Luffy's, Blizzard's, Jimbei's, and Crocodile's attacks combined were enough to send the four Jailer Beasts flying away.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Sadie cried in horror as she watched her precious pets get defeated.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

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><p>Sorry for taking so long updating this!<p>

Review, please!


	20. Straw Hat and Blackbeard

**Ch. 20- Straw Hat and Blackbeard**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>In Level 1, the Crimson Hell, there is a drawbridge being raised up, followed by the sound of gunfire.<p>

"Raise the drawbridge! Don't let them get across!"

"There are only five of them! Stop the Blackbeard Pirates!"

While Blackbeard walked calmly through the jailers, Van Augur and Burgess fought off the guards.

"Fire!" ordered one of them as they fired their rifles at them.

"There's no longer any doubt about this!" said another. "Blackbeard and his crew have turned on us!"

"Does that really surprise you? What do you expect from pirates?"

The guards turned and gasped in horror to see…

"H-Head Jailer Shiryu?!"

"Five of them, eh?" Shiryu questioned, nonchalantly.

"When were you released?!" asked another guard.

"Hmm, that one looks like trouble," said Blackbeard. "That's not Magellan, is it?"

"So, you must be Marshall D. Teach," said Shiryu. "A.K.A, 'Blackbeard'."

"ZEHAHAHAHAHA!" Blackbeard laughed. "That's right! And just who are you?!"

XXX

In Level 4, the Inferno Hell, Luffy and his army of prisoners are still fighting through the hordes of jailers after they had successfully defeated the Jailer Beasts.

"We're finished!" cried one of them. "There's no way we can stop them without the Jailer Beasts!"

"Keep moving!" shouted Ivankov. "We're getting close to the gate of Level 3!"

"Yeah!" yelled one of the New Kamas.

"Nothing can stop us, now!"

"AGH! What do we do?! Their numbers just keep getting bigger! HOW IN THE WORLD ARE WE SUPPOSED TO STOP THEM?!"

Up ahead of the rest of the New Kamas, there is Sadie with her whip at the ready.

"Hey! There's Chief Jailer, Sadie!"

"Who gives a damn?! Trample her!"

"Silence!" Sadie shouted. "Respect my authority! Manifesto of Excitement: RED VIPER WHIP!"

**SWIP! SHWAK!** Sadie whipped the New Kamas and the prisoners with her pitchfork-whip, causing them to scream in pain.

"How dare you harm, mmmm~, my precious little Jailer Beasts!" she cried.

**CRRMMMMBLE! KRAK! KRAK!** As a result of her attack, Sadie caused part of the bridge to collapse.

"Damn you!" Luffy shouted. "I'm gonna-"

"Wait, Straw Hat Boy! I told vyou too keep going! WAHOO!"

**SWAK!** Luffy and Blizzard are literally sent flying by…Ivankov?

It looked like Ivankov, only now, he appeared to be…a voluptuous woman!

"Out of the way, whip girl!" shouted Ivankov as "she" attempted a sideways sweep kick on, who ducked down to evade her.

"Mmmm…silence!" Sadie said. "This must be your female form! Such an anarchist you are, never taking sides!"

"Hee-hee!" Ivankov laughed. "Right now, I just feel like being a woman! WAHOO!"

**SWIPE!** Ivankov attempted to kick Sadie, again, but once more, the dominatrix ducked.

"Who's that lady?" Luffy asked, bewildered. "She talks just like Iva."

_As baffling as that is, does it really matter right now?!_ Blizzard thought as he started to nudge Luffy along. _C'mon! We gotta motor!_

"Luffy!" Inazuma called. "Quickly! That stairwell is nearby! Follow me, and I'll open the gate!"

"O-oh! Yeah!" Luffy said as he got up to follow Inazuma. "C'mon, Blizzard! Let's go!"

"This is the Fortress of Hell!" yelled a familiar voice.

"Hmm?" Inazuma hummed, questioningly.

_That voice…it's…!_ Blizzard thought.

"No one…SHALL ESCAPE THIS PLACE!"

"BLIZZARD! STOP!" Luffy shouted.

**HWOOSH! SHWAK! YOWL!** Up ahead, Hannyabal is swinging a naginata, a Japanese polearm with a katana blade on each end and hitting some of the escaped inmates and New Kamas with it. Not just but, he hit Blizzard in the jaw, too!

"BLIZZARD!" Luffy cried.

**FWUMP!** Blizzard fell to the ground, but he stood right back up, and after he seemed to realign his jaw and spat out some blood, he growled viciously at Hannyabal.

"Blizzard, are you okay?" Luffy asked.

Blizzard nodded, still growling.

"Who is that guy?" Luffy asked. "And why is he leaving the gate wide open?!"

"It's Hannyabal, the Vice-Warden!" Inazuma answered.

"Look! Behind him!" said a New Kama. "There are a thousand prison Bazooka Troops in the stairway to Level 3!"

"There's no way out for you, now!" said Hannyabal.

"AGH!" cried one of the prisoners, trapped in a net.

"No!" cried another.

Nearby, the guards and jailers began to cheer for Hannyabal.

"Yes!" cheered one of them. "The Vice-Warden is swinging his naginata, _Blood Sucker_! That means he's serious!"

"We can count on him!" said another.

"I won't allow either you or White Wolf to run free and terrorize helpless civilians, Straw Hat!" Hannyabal declared. "I will execute the both of you, here and now!"

"Get outta my way," Luffy growled.

"No way!" Hannyabal spat.

Suddenly, **BAM!** Hannyabal found himself getting pushed back by a certain wolf-dog.

"AGH!" the Vice-Warden cried as he was sent flying back.

**Grrrrr~!** Blizzard growled at Hannyabal, again.

_You had better not get in Luffy's way,_ he thought.

"Blizzard, what are you doing?!" Luffy asked his dog.

"It looks like he's trying to fight off Hannyabal for us," Inazuma answered.

Hannyabal suddenly stood up.

"So," he said, "you think you can actually go toe-to-toe with me, do you, White Wolf?!"

_I don't think, pal,_ Blizzard thought. _I KNOW._

Just then, the sound of samba music began to fill the air.

"Huh?" Luffy muttered. "What's going on?"

Looking to their left, the two Straw Hats saw that the guards had started beating on drums, blowing on whistles, and shaking maracas, which was somewhat baffling. However, Luffy, who was trying to be serious at a time such as this, couldn't help but move his hips back and forth to the rhythm a little.

As this is happening, **SWISH! SWISH! SWOOSH!** Hannyabal began to swing _Blood Sucker_ around and around, left and right, and then started to sing.

"Hannya! De rhythm! Hannya! De Nyabal!"

_What in the God's green earth is this moron doing?_ Blizzard thought. _Is he being serious, or is he just putting on a show? Wait…what's…?_

**FWOOM!** As Hannyabal continued to spin _Blood Sucker_, its blades soon ignited from the friction!

_What the hell?!_ Blizzard thought.

Luffy gasped in shock.

"Presenting, everyone's favorite!" Hannyabal exclaimed. "Hannya Carnival! INFERNO HELL WHEEL!"

"Blizzard, careful!" Luffy warned.

Blizzard yelped as he started to jump and run away from Hannyabal's flaming attacks, but he knew he couldn't evade them forever. He had to attack some time.

"Blizzard, just forget about him!" Luffy yelled. "He's not worth our time! We gotta go save Ace!"

"Save Fire Fist?!" Hannyabal repeated, using Ace's epithet. "Ha! Don't make me laugh! Does this pathetic mongrel really think he can defeat me?! They didn't make me the Vice-Warden of Impel Down for nothing, you know!"

_You're nothing but bark!_ Blizzard thought. _X-FANG!_

**CHOMP! SLASH!** Blizzard sends an air-compressed bite in the shape of an X at Hannyabal, and it hits him dead on, creating a large, X-shaped gash, as well as smashing his jackal headdress.

XXX

Meanwhile, at the big elevator on Level 4, Magellan had finally arrived.

"We're here, Warden!" said Domino.

"Warden Magellan! Please, you must hurry!"

XXX

Hannyabal coughed up blood and fell to one knee, but he began to stand up.

"We're not done here, White Wolf!" he said. "I…I won't fall! Not to you!"

"How can he still stand up after Blizzard attacked him, dead-on, like that?!" Luffy questioned, astonished.

Blizzard smirked.

_Even after you took a hit from my X-Fang, you still stand up,_ he thought. _I gotta admit, you've got tenacity, and I do admire that…but that doesn't mean you still can't get in our way. I will beat you, and Luffy will save Fire Fist, and if you don't like it…_

Blizzard lunged at Hannyabal.

_YOU CAN DROP DEAD!_

XXX

"So," said Magellan, "where are the leaders of this rebellion?"

"Vice-Warden Hannyabal and his men are busy holding them off, sir!" a guard answered.

"They're by the stairway to Level 3!" another guard added. "Please hurry, Warden, sir! That's quite a ways from here!"

"Come on! Follow the Vice-Warden's lead! Don't let up, no matter what!"

And so, the jailers proceeded to jump over the bridge and ambush Luffy and the others.

XXX

Meanwhile, Blizzard relentlessly attacks Hannyabal, biting on his face and scratching on his left eye (which is closed, thank goodness). However, no matter how many times Hannyabal was beaten down, he stood right back up and continued to attack.

"It's not over, yet!" Hannyabal shouted as he attempted slice Blizzard with _Blood Sucker_ once again, only for his attack to be evaded due to the wolf-dog natural agility.

_CRACKER!_ Blizzard shouted in thought.

**BAM!** He rammed his skull right in Hannyabal's, sending him back.

As the fight went on, Luffy, Inazuma, the New Kamas, and the rest of the escaped prisoners attacked the guards.

**POW!** Blizzard punched Hannyabal in the jaw with his paw. **THUD!** The Vice-Warden fell to the ground in a bloody crumpled heap, seemingly defeated.

_Finally,_ Blizzard thought.

"Blizzard, come on!" Luffy called as he punched another guard. "We gotta get moving! Now!"

Just as Blizzard is about to go on ahead, **WHAP!** He felt a hand clutch at his right hind leg. Looking back, he saw, to his disbelief, that it's Hannyabal!

"Wait!" he said.

_Dammit! Let go of me!_ Blizzard yelled in his head.

**BAP!** Blizzard kicked Hannyabal in the face, and then jumped back, just as Hannyabal began to stagger his feet, once more.

"Dammit!" Luffy cursed. "Why won't he stay down?!"

_I did say that I admire his tenacity,_ Blizzard thought, _but now, he's just pissing me off!_

"I won't let you go!" Hannyabal declared. "Not now! Not ever! You won't leave this place, alive!"

At this point, some of the guards looked rather tearful, watching Hannyabal get beaten within in an inch of his life like this.

"V-Vice-Warden!" cried one of the guards.

"Please, sir! There's no point in fighting White Wolf!" shouted another. "Just stay down! He'll kill you!"

"You fools," Hannyabal said. "You lot are nothing but vicious pirates and rebels who became notorious wicked deeds! You say you want to save your brother, Straw Hat? Well, it will never happen! A ne'er-do-well such as yourself has no right to say such a thing!"

Luffy growled and clenched his fist.

"If people like you were allowed to roam the world's seas, once more," Hannyabal continued, "then the law-abiding citizens would live in such fear for their loved ones, they couldn't be able to sleep at night! This prison was constructed as a warehouse for scumbags like you, so that the decent people of the world could live in peace! If you and White Wolf and anyone else were to get out, you'd terrorize the entire world! But as long as I draw breath, I REFUSE to let that happen!"

**GRAAAAAAAARFF!**

_SHUT YOUR FREAKING MOUTH!_

**CHOMP! KRASH!** Blizzard bit down on Hannyabal's arm and threw him into a wall.

"VICE-WARDEN!" the guards cried.

**GRRRARF-ARF! ARF! ARF!** Blizzard began to bark, furiously.

"Blizzard…" Luffy said.

_How DARE you say that!_ the wolf-dog thought. _You REALLY piss me off! Pirates are the scum of the world, huh?! BULL CRAP! It's true that some of us may get thrown in here because of what we do, but that doesn't mean that ALL of us are without morals! I may've been like that once, but I swore to myself that I'd never return to that life, again, especially now that I have Luffy to protect! If you ask me, THE REAL SCUMBAG IS YOU!_

Luffy seemed to hear the wolf-dog's thoughts, and he grinned.

"Well said, buddy," he said. "Whatever it was you just said."

"You damn dog," Hannyabal as he stood back up, once more.

"Listen, pal!" Luffy said. "I can't let them kill Ace, so get the hell outta our way!"

"You bastard!" Hannyabal cursed. "Is there really nothing I can say that…"

"Vice-Warden!"

"Vice-Warden, help us!"

"Huh?" Hannyabal muttered as he turned to face his Bazooka Troops…only to see that they had started…sinking into the floor. "W-what? What's happening?! Bazooka Troops!"

"Help us, Vice-Warden!"

"Enough talk about Justice and Evil!" exclaimed a familiar voice.

Hannyabal turned around again, and saw, to his shock, that a boot was now in front of his face.

"No matter where you go in this world, you're not going to find the answer to it! It's a complete waste of time!"

**KRASH!** Hannyabal is stamped into the floor by none other than…Blackbeard!

The guards, the New Kamas, and Blizzard gasped in shock.

_W…who the hell is that?!_ Blizzard thought.

"It's that guy I met on Jaya!" Luffy realized.

Crocodile raised an eyebrow, seemingly unsurprised by Blackbeard and his crew's appearance, and Ivankov looked a bit nervous.

"Looks like the gang's all here," said Blackbeard. "It seems like I just interrupted something. ZEHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Teach!" Jimbei shouted with clenched fists. "What the hell are you doing here?! Or should I refer to you as 'Blackbeard', now?"

"Ah, Jimbei," said Blackbeard. "Come on, now! Don't go clenching your fists at people! Oh, but wait. I forgot that you and Ace were pals, but come on, Jimbei! You're getting mad at the wrong man, here!"

"…Blackbeard?" Luffy repeated.

_Flashback; Alabasta_

"I'm kinda in the middle of hunting down a major outlaw, right now," said Ace. "He's been calling himself 'Blackbeard', as of late."

_Fast forward; Jaya, after Luffy and Zoro got beaten by Bellamy and his crew_

"The dreams of pirates WILL NEVER END~!" Blackbeard shouted into the air.

_Fast forward; Amazon Lily, the night when Blizzard and Luffy left_

"It appears that a pirate named 'Blackbeard' had captured 'Fire Fist' Ace…" said Nyon.

_Flashback end_

Luffy stepped forward, unwittingly pushing Blizzard out of his way, and glared up at Blackbeard.

"Your name is 'Blackbeard'?!" the Straw Hat captain questioned.

"Huh?" Blackbeard asked. "Oh, yeah. I never did introduce myself back on Jaya, now did I? ZEHAHAHAHAHA! Long time, no see, eh, Straw Hat?! I gotta say, I was a bit surprised when I found out that you're the younger brother of my old division leader, Ace! ZEHAHAHAHA! You sure you wanna be hanging around here? If you don't hurry, your big brother's heads gonna roll! ZEHAHAHAHA! ZEEEEHAHAHAHAHA~!"

Luffy growled, his teeth gritted and fists clenched.

**Gulp!** Blizzard nervously swallowed the lump in his throat, aware of Luffy's impending fury, all he could think is…

_Oh…crap…!_

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

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><p>Review, please!<p> 


	21. The Lid of Hell's Cauldron Opens

**Ch. 21- The Lid of Hell's Cauldron Opens**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>Luffy stood before the cackling Blackbeard, his blood boiling.<p>

"After I met you back in Mock Town," said Blackbeard as he pointed at Luffy, "I soon realized that you were the one who took down the former Warlord, Crocodile, over there, Straw Hat Luffy!"

Crocodile just stood in his place, saying nothing.

Blizzard, on the other hand, was too nervous about Luffy's impending rage to even think.

"I wanted to become one of the Seven Warlords, Straw Hat," said Blackbeard. "So, I figured the best way to show the World Government that I was the right man for the job was to hunt you down and present to them your head!"

Luffy also stood in silence, but he is still very furious.

_Flashback, Banaro Island_

"I'm gonna go to Water 7 and kill Straw Hat Luffy, Ace!" Blackbeard proclaimed to the fellow D. carrier. "When I do, I'll present his head to the World Government as a gift!"

"That's another reason why I can't let you run loose," said Ace. "Straw Hat Luffy…is my little brother!"

_Flashback end_

"But fate protected you, Straw Hat!" Blackbeard declared. "Ace has been hunting me down like a dog ever since I committed that terrible crime aboard Old Man Whitebeard's ship! And by curious coincidence, he was your big brother! All because I said I was gonna kill ya, he couldn't turn back! ZEHAHAHAHA!"

_Dude,_ Blizzard thought, tentatively glancing at Luffy. _I think you better stop talking. Seriously._

"You see, now, Straw Hat?" Blackbeard asked. "If Ace were to let us go, not only would he be bringing shame to the Whitebeard Pirates' name, but you, his dear little brother, would've been killed!"

_Really, man,_ Blizzard thought, still glancing at Luffy. _Stop talking unless you wanna lose all your teeth!_

"There is no such thing as coincidence," said Augur. "Only fate. In other words…"

"Yes…" Doc Q wheezed, slumped on the back of Stronger. "You're a very lucky man." **KOFF!** he coughed up a little blood.

"Now that the captain has successfully become one of the Seven Warlords," said Lafitte, "he won't be needing you, anymore."

"WEE-HA-HA!" Burgess laughed. "Your big bro sure did fight bravely!"

_Stop it!_ Blizzard shouted in thought. _Seriously! Don't say anymore!_

"You better be sure to thank Ace at his grave," said Blackbeard. "If he didn't show, back then, you'd be long dead, by now."

That did it.

**TOMP! VOOM!** Luffy threw his fist into the ground and pumped blood through his body.

"Then how about you TRY AND KILL ME NOW?!" he shouted.

_Tried to warn ya,_ Blizzard thought.

"Gum GUUUUUUM…JET PISTOL!"

**WHABAM! KRASH!** With a mighty Jet Pistol attack, the enraged Luffy punched Blackbeard dead center in the gut, sending him flying back, right into a wall!

"Captain!" cried Augur.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUGH!" Blackbeard screamed, holding his head in pain.

"There's no way in HELL I'm letting them kill Ace!" Luffy shouted as he prepared to fire another punch. "Gum GUUUUUM…JET-"

"Black VORTEX!"

Suddenly, as Blackbeard's hand started to glow black and hazy, Luffy found himself somehow getting pulled towards him!

"W-what the-?!" Luffy questioned.

Jimbei gasped.

"Straw Hat!" Bon Clay cried.

**KRASH!** Blackbeard pummels Luffy straight into the floor, headfirst!

_LUFFY!_ Blizzard cried in his head.

To the shock of those watching…Luffy was bleeding.

"AAAAAAAAAAH!" Luffy screamed in agony. "IT HUUUUUUUUURRTS!"

"Blood?!" Crocodile questioned. "But Straw Hat's supposed to be made of rubber!"

_It's just like how that Sengoku guy back at Sabaody and how Hancock's sisters managed to hit Luffy!_ Blizzard thought.

Luffy grunted as he got back up to his feet.

"Gum GUUUUUUUM…"

"LUFFY, STOP!"

**WHAP!** Before Luffy could lunge at Blackbeard, Jimbei blocked his path and grabbed him by his arms. Blizzard helped by holding Luffy by the back of his pants with his teeth.

"That's enough, Luffy!" Jimbei said. "You must control your temper!"

_Yeah! Calm down!_ Blizzard thought.

"Remember what you came for, Luffy!" Jimbei shouted.

"LET ME GO!" Luffy shouted. "LET ME GO, RIGHT NOW, SO I CAN KICK HIS FAT ASS!"

_Luffy, STOP IT!_ Blizzard yelled in thought. _Just let it go, for now! You'll get your chance, but right now, we've got bigger fish to fry!_

**Huff! Huff!** Blackbeard panted heavily.

"That man has always been a mystery to me," said Jimbei, "since the very first time I laid eyes on him on Whitebeard's ship! I have no idea where it came from, but right now, he has the power to beat even Ace!"

He pushed Luffy back.

"Don't waste your time and energy fighting him, Luffy!" he told him. "I understand how you feel, but you can't let your emotions get the better of you! It's not going to help you save Ace!"

Luffy seethed and growled at Blackbeard, who only grinned as he wiped some blood off his jaw.

"You're certainly a lot stronger than I thought, Straw Hat," said Blackbeard. "And your Haki is a lot stronger than the last time I saw you."

"So, you're Blackbeard, right?" Crocodile asked, out of the blue. "I heard some no-name pirate from Whitebeard's ship had taken my place, but this is strange. You should've been summoned to defend Marine Headquarters, and yet you came to this godforsaken place. It's obvious that you've given up your title of one of the Seven Warlords of the sea by coming here."

"Everything is going according to my plan," Blackbeard replied. "There were some bumps we ran into along the way, but is there any reason to tell you about it…Mr. Crocodile?"

A pause.

"No," Crocodile answered. "Not at all. In fact, I don't give a damn."

"I see you don't mince words," said Blackbeard.

"HEY!" shouted one of the New Kamas. "MAGELLAN'S COMING!"

**BOOM!** A huge explosion went off behind the group.

"WARDEN MAGELLAN?!"

"CRAP! WE'RE DOOMED!"

"RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"

"HEAD FOR LEVEL 3~!"

"Magellan?!" Blackbeard questioned. "Heh…so he's finally here, eh?"

XXX

As one prisoner was trying to run away, **GLOOP!** He, as well as a few New Kama, were soon devoured by the Hydra!"

XXX

"Warden Magellan!" cried one of the guards.

"At last, he's here!" said another.

"This is bad," said Ivankov before he turned and pointed to Luffy. "Straw Hat Boy! Quick! Vyou must make a run for it! If you get hit by Magellan's poison, NOTHING can save vyou!"

Luffy gritted his teeth in shock before he felt a slight tug on his pants. Looking down, he saw Blizzard, trying to lead him away.

_Come on, man!_ Blizzard thought. _We gotta go! NOW!_

"Hurry! Up the stairs to Level 3!"

"The Bazooka Traps got wiped out by Blackbeard, so the path is clear!"

**KRASH!** Minotaurus suddenly appeared and began to smash the rioters with his club.

"It's the Jailer Beast, again!"

"And this time, it's Minotaurus!"

_Dammit, not him!_ Blizzard cursed in thought. _How many times do I have to knock this guy out?!_

"I thought we already beat Minotaurus already!" Bon Clay cried.

"They don't stay down for very long," explained Crocodile. "The Jailer Beasts all have Devil Fruit powers. They're awakened Zoan-types! Their greatest strength are their toughness and recovery speed. Even when knocked out by Haki, they can still get right back up."

"THAT'S A DEVIL FRUIT POWER, TOO?!" Bon Clay shouted.

"If we don't hurry," Crocodile began, "then the other three will wake up, too."

"WHAT?!"

"But we have an even bigger problem to worry about than those beasts," said Crocodile. "The Warden of the Hells will be here soon."

XXX

Not too far away, Magellan is running to the stairway to Level 3.

"Warden Magellan! Blackbeard has appeared at the gate to Level 3!"

"What?!" Magellan questioned in shock. "But I thought Shiryu was supposed to deal with Blackbeard! Don't tell me he was defeated!"

Suddenly, the Mini-Transponder Snail in a guard's hand rang.

"**This is the monitoring room!"**

"What is it?"

XXX

In the monitoring room, it looked like the whole place had been trashed. The screens are busted, and some of the guards have either been knocked unconscious…or killed.

"We've got trouble, sir!" said one of the guards. "The Video Receiving Transponder Snail has been destroyed! We've lost all our video feeds, and all communications with Marine Headquarters and other Government facilities have been severed! We're cute off- GAH!"

**SLASH! THUD!**

"**Hey! What's going on?! What's happening, over there?! Who did that?! Hello?! HELLO?!"**

Behind the dead guard stood Shiryu, his blade bloody, and a grin upon his face.

"Don't be a tattletale," said Shiryu. "You'll get Magellan on my ass, again."

XXX

Back at Level 4, Magellan and the jailers are still running to the stairs to Level 3.

"Communications have been-"

"Send someone to confirm what's happening there!" Magellan ordered.

"Yes, sir!"

"This is bad," Magellan thought aloud. "If Blackbeard has reached this Hell, then he must've crashed through the gate on Level 2! Nothing is going our way! How could two intruders spark all this mayhem and chaos?!"

XXX

On Level 2...

"Flashy~! Flashy~! Flashy~! Flashy~!"

The rioters had broken free, thanks to Blackbeard, and now, led by Buggy and Mr. 3, they started to riot again!

"YAHOO!" Buggy cheered. "WE'RE THE LUCKY FLASHY MEN! COME ON, YOU LOT! TO LEVEL !"

"And we'll keep going on until we reach freedom!" Mr. 3 shouted.

"Yeah! He's the luckiest, flashiest man alive!"

"Our savior, Captain Buggy!"

"WHOO-HOO!"

XXX

"I'm gonna rescue Ace, no matter who or what stands in my way!" Luffy shouted towards Blackbeard.

"ZEHAHAHAHA!" Blackbeard laughed. "I won't say that you're wasting your time, Straw Hat. Nothing's impossible in this world!"

As Luffy and Blizzard passed by him, Blackbeard turned and asked, "The Sky Island exists, doesn't it, boy?"

_Flashback, Mock Town_

"THE DREAMS OF PIRATES…WILL NEVER END~!" Blackbeard yelled into the sky.

_Flashback end_

"It's the same with the One Piece!" Blackbeard declared. "It sure as hell exists! ZEHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Luffy just glared at Blackbeard, who started to walk away with his men.

"Just you wait and see, Straw Hat!" the rotund pirate shouted. "In just a few short hours, we're going to put on a show that will SHAKE THE WORLD! ZEHAHAHAHAHAAAAA~!"

Luffy kept glaring back at Blackbeard, who continued to walk away.

"Just ignore him, Luffy," said Jimbei.

_Yeah,_ Blizzard thought. _He's not worth it._

Luffy turned and started to run with the New Kamas and the escapees with Blizzard following not too far behind.

"Keep going! On to Level 3!" Ivankov shouted.

XXX

Meanwhile, Sadie is dangling above the floor by a rope, her body arched to the point where her back might snap.

"Mmmm~, Warden!" she cried. "Help me!"

"Sadie!" Magellan said.

"That damned Ivankov, mmmm~, did this to me!" Sadie yelled. "This is insulting! Life isn't worth living if I'M not the inflicting the pain!"

"Get her down," Magellan ordered the guards.

"Yes, sir!"

At that moment, Magellan noticed the Blackbeard Pirates approaching.

"ZEHAHAHAHAHA!" Blackbeard laughed. "So, you're Magellan."

"And you must be Teach, A.K.A 'Blackbeard'," said Magellan.

"That's right!" Blackbeard answered.

"HYDRA!"

**GLOOP!** To the Blackbeard Pirates' surprise, one of the heads from Magellan's Hydra attack chomped down on the crew. Soon, the crew is drenched in the poison.

"Ah…AAAAAAAAHH!" Blackbeard screamed in agony. "IT BUUUUUURRNS!"

"I've neither the time nor the inclination to ask you why you're here," said Magellan.

"AAAAAAAAAAAH! What the hell is this stuff?! Poison?! AGH!"

Magellan looked down and spotted Hannyabal on the floor, still unconscious.

"Hannyabal," said Magellan. "You did well holding them back for so long."

"Vice-Warden Hannyabal!" cried one of the guards as some of them ran to his aid.

"Look at all this blood!"

"Quick! He needs medical attention! STAT!"

"I'll take it from here, Hannyabal," said Magellan as he stalked off toward the stairway to Level 3. "Until then, try not to die…because you are the only one…fit to succeed me!"

Now, if Hannyabal was conscious, he'd be overwhelmed shock and joy, but since he was currently knocked out, that wasn't the case.

Once Magellan stood at the bottom of the stairway, he looked upstairs, where he saw the knocked out Bazooka Troops. He then took in a deep breath.

"STRAAAAAAAAW HAAAAAAAAAT!" he boomed in a venomous, demonic voice.

"AAAAH!" a prisoner yelped, covering his ears in fright.

"Who the hell was that?! Was that Magellan?!"

"Well, it ain't your grandma! Step on it, man!"

_Crap, crap, crap, CRAP TIMES 100!_ Blizzard cursed in his head as he ran alongside Luffy, who looked back downstairs.

"It's the poison guy!" he said.

"You will not escape from this prison…ALIVE!" Magellan roared.

**GLOOP!** Using a jet of poison, the Warden gave chase after Luffy and his army of escapees.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

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><p>This is probably gonna be the last update for a while, since school starts tomorrow.<p>

Review, please!


	22. To Sunshine and Freedom

**Ch. 22- To Sunshine and Freedom**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

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><p>Although the way was blocked at one point by Magellan's poisons, thanks to the arrival of Blackbeard, Buggy and his group managed to escape to Level 1, and are now taking out guards left and right.<p>

"Ha-ha-ha!" Buggy laughed. "That's right, men! Keep going!"

The group that passed through the fierce battle zone that is now Level 4, and is now running through Level 3, the Starvation Hell is the New Kama Land gang led by "Straw Hat" Luffy and "White Wolf" Blizzard, and their numbers continue to increase as they free more and more prisoners as they kept running.

"AAAAAAH!"

The Hydra is seen attacking some prisoners and New Kamas that are way in the back.

"We're taking heavy casualties!" cried one of them.

"Damn!" Luffy cursed.

Not too far behind them, Magellan, the Messenger of Hell, is hot on their tail.

"I won't allow any of you to escape," the Warden stated.

"D…damn you, Magellan…" wheezed one of the poisoned inmates, drenched in the deadly toxin.

XXX

Meanwhile, on Level 4, Sadie is struggling to stand up. She shakily reached behind her back, putting a hand on her spine.

"M-my spine…" she muttered. "Mmmm~, it hurts!" She seethed. "Damn that Ivankov! He will pay for this!"

_Flashback_

"WAHOO!"

**SNAP!** Ivankov, still in female form, had Sadie over her shoulders, and had snapped her spine, sending her screaming in agony.

_Flashback end_

"GET UP!" Sadie shouted as she stood up.

**SWHAK!** She whipped Minokoala in the behind, much to his chagrin.

"How long are you going to lie there?!" she questioned. "Get going, mmmm~, my precious Jailer Beasts!"

Now that they are awake, the four Jailer Beasts hurry into the elevator to Level 1 in order to cut Luffy off.

XXX

One of the monitoring rooms of the prison had been completely trashed. Some of the staff have either been injured or killed. Thanks to Shiryu's betrayal, all communications with the outside world have been severed. Therefore, no information can leave Impel Down, now. This major incident continues to grow in severity behind the scenes, unbeknownst to the unwitting actors involved.

XXX

On Level 3, Luffy and his riot are still running through the level, freeing more prisoners along the way.

"The warships and prison ships should be stationed all around Impel Down," Jimbei explained. "If we can capture one of these ships, then we'll be able to reach Marineford before the execution!"

"Right!" Luffy said. "Then we gotta keep moving!"

**Grr~!** Blizzard growled, viciously as more guards approached.

_Dammit,_ he cursed in his head. _How many of these chumps are they gonna throw at us?!_

"Outta our WAY!" Luffy shouted.

**BAP!** He kicked a guard in the neck before he continued to charge onward.

**CHOMP!** Blizzard bit down on the shoulder of another guard.

**POW!** Jimbei punched out a good number of guards with his Fishman Karate.

They had to hurry and get out of this prison, fast, for Ace's public execution will take place…in 4-and-a-half hours from now.

XXX

Later, at the stairway leading to Level 2, Ivankov, still a woman, is hurrying the New Kamas and the escapees up the stairs.

"Hurry up!" "she" called.

"Magellan's on our tail!" said one of the New Kamas.

"Then hurry! On to Level 2!"

The group quickly dashed up the stairs, leaving only Ivankov and Inazuma behind.

"That's the last of us," said Ivankov. "Behind them…not one single person is left standing!"

The King-Queen turned to see Magellan approaching, and it appeared that a few of the New Kamas and the prisoners have all fallen victim to his deadly poison.

"AGH~~!" one New Kama screamed, reaching his hand up for help.

"Inazuma!" Ivankov called.

"Understood," said the fellow Revolutionary before **SWIP!** He turned his hands into a giant pair of scissors. "Great Scissors!"

**SNIP! SNIP! SNIP! SNIP! SNIP! SNIP! SNIP!** Inazuma began to dash up the stairs, and as he did, he started to cut down the stairway with his hands until he reached Level 2: the Beast Hell.

"H-hey!" said one of the New Kamas. "Inazuma?! What the hell are you doing?! Why are you cutting away the stairs?! Ivankov is still down there!"

"Shut up!" Inazuma barked. "Don't give me any gab! Just keep moving!"

He then turned back, prepared to make one last cut.

"Please be all right!" he said.

XXX

Back on Level 3, **KRUNK! KRASH!** The stairway came crumbling down behind Ivankov…leaving him seemingly trapped with Magellan.

"What are you trying to do?" the Warden questioned.

"Mm-hmm-hmm," Ivankov chortled in "her" throat. "If vyou don't know, by now…" **SHUNK!** "She" stabbed "her" fingers into "her" side, and soon, Ivankov returned to his original male form. "Vyou must be pretty…STUPID!"

**WINK! WHABAM!** Using his Death Wink, Ivankov blasted Magellan's Hydra.

"WAHOO!" he cheered.

"You can buy all the time you want, Ivankov," said Magellan, "but Straw Hat, White Wolf, and the others will never escape this prison."

"Buy time, vyou say?!" Ivankov questioned. "Are vyou so certain that vyou can beat me, Magellan?! I'll show you the secret arts of my New Kama Karate!"

XXX

Meanwhile, on Level 2, with Luffy's group, they are being attacked by a pack of Manticores and are trying hard to fight them off.

"Underwear…" muttered one of the Manticores as Luffy kneed it in the jaw.

_Twister FANG!_

**WHOOSH! BAM!** Blizzard unleashed a Twister Fang on two Manticores at once.

"Lipstick…!" one groaned.

"Sexy…!" said another one.

"Hey," Luffy said. "This is weird. What happened to the poison guy? Wasn't he right behind us?"

"Iva and Ivankov were standing by the stairs not too long ago," Bon Clay answered as he kicked another Manticore in the face.

"Shirt!" it cried.

"You mean they could be downstairs fighting the poison guy, right now?!" Luffy asked. "Then we gotta go back!"

"Are you mad?!" Bon Clay questioned. "That's all the more reason for us to keep moving! Believe, Straw Hat! We have to believe in the power of the Miracle Worker!"

**Grr~, ARF! ARF!** Blizzard growled and barked.

_And besides, we don't have time! We gotta save Fire Fist!_ Blizzard thought.

"Well…okay," said a reluctant Luffy. "But I don't like it!"

"That's odd," said Crocodile. "What's going on? Where are all the security personnel?"

"That is strange," agreed Jimbei. "The prisoners are gone, too. Somebody must've freed them. All the cells are open!"

Jimbei was right. All the cells had been opened and the prisoners were all gone, thanks to two certain escapees.

XX

Back on Level 3...

"AAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Ivankov screamed as he grabbed at his face, which is now covered in poison. "MY FACE! IT'S MELTING! MY FACE! MY FAAAAACE! IT'S MELTING! MELTIIIING~! WHAT A WORLD!"

**FWUMP!** He suddenly took off what looked like a mask from his face, revealing it to be unharmed.

"Fooled vyou!" Ivankov said. "My face is protected by a thick layer of cosmetics! So vyou aren't melting, after all? You got us, again! WAHOO!"

"You're just buying time," said Magellan.

"Oh, am I now?" asked Ivankov as he crossed his arms. "In that case, what do you say we finish this now? New Kama Karate 44 Secret Spa Arts Ultimate Attack…HAIR REMOVAL FIST!"

**FSHFSHFSHFSHFSH!** Ivankov starts to stab his hands repeatedly at Magellan, who stepped back, taking a fighting stance.

XXX

Back at the severed stairway on Level 2, Inazuma is standing there, waiting for Ivankov.

Suddenly, he heard something.

**KRAK! KRAK! KROOSH!**

It sounded like something was trying to push through the rubble.

"Iva…?" Inazuma said.

**KRASH!** Something emerged from under the rubble…but it was not Ivankov.

"Venom Road," Magellan said as he stood before the Revolutionary, surrounded by his poison. If one would look closely, they would see that the Warden now has a stream of blood trickling from his forehead.

_So, it was useless, after all?!_ Inazuma thought.

XXX

Down in Level 3...lying motionless in a pool of poison…is Ivankov.

XXX

**RIP! RIP! RIP! KRASH! KRASH!** Inazuma cut up large pieces of the floor and threw them at Magellan.

"Stay back!" he shouted.

"Still buying time, eh?" Magellan questioned. "When are you going to realize it's hopeless!"

XXX

On Level 1, with Buggy's riot…

"OH, NOOOO!" the clown pirate tearfully cried. "THEY'RE HERE!"

Up ahead, it is revealed that the escaped inmates are now under attack by the Jailer Beasts.

"Run! It's the Jailer Beasts! All four of 'em!"

"We're doomed!"

"Turn around! We don't have a chance against them!"

"We're giving up on this foolish prison break!"

Suddenly, **WUMP!** Buggy bumped into someone.

"OOF!" Buggy cried as he fell on the floor. "Hey! Watch it! What are you, blind, or- CROCODILE?!"

The former Warlord stood towering over Buggy and Mr. 3, who are clearly stunned to see him.

"Step aside," said Crocodile.

"B-B-B-BOSS?!" Mr. 3 stammered.

"What's a worthless piece of crap like you doing here…Mr. 3?" asked Crocodile.

_Oh, no!_ Mr. 3 thought as tears streaked down his face. _Sir Crocodile…he's on the loose!_

"Hey, Captain Buggy!" called one of the inmates, pointing at Jimbei, Blizzard, and Luffy, as well as the now unconscious Jailer Beasts. "The Jailer Beasts! They all got knocked out!"

"WHAT?! STRAW HAT?!" Buggy and Mr. 3 questioned.

"And there's Jimbei!" added Mr. 3. "One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!"

Luffy and Blizzard turned to see the two escapees.

_Oh, great, it's those cowards,_ Blizzard thought, still a bit angry at them for abandoning Luffy back on Level 4.

"Oh, it's you guys!" Luffy said. "I'm glad to see you're all right!"

**ZANG!** Buggy and Mr. 3 cringed, as if out of pain. Hearing Luffy's optimistic words hurt just like a dagger to the chest.

_You cannot see ONE evil bone in those guys' bodies, can you?_ Blizzard asked Luffy in his head.

"Captain Buggy!" cried another prisoner. "More prisoners and a bunch of weirdoes are coming in from Level 2!"

"WEIRDO'S TOO?!" Buggy questioned in disbelief as he spotted the army of prisoners and New Kamas that Luffy had been leading. "WHAT IS GOING ON?!"

**WHAM!** The clown pirate is soon met with a swift kick to the face.

"You!" Bon Clay shouted. "How dare you abandon us back there?!"

"BWAH!" Buggy coughed. "You too, Mr. 2?!"

"Hey, you!" yelled one of the prisoners. "What the hell do you think you're doing to Captain Buggy?! Leave him alone!"

"This is bad," said one of the guards. "The prisoners from Level 4 are here!"

"Did the manage to get away from Warden Magellan?" questioned another. "The different armies of rioters are joining together! Where in the world is the Warden?!"

"RUN! IT'S THE HYDRA~!"

Everyone looked back to see that the giant Hydra had appeared, and Magellan was not too far behind.

"RUN AWAY! IT'S MAGELLAN!"

"MAGELLAN, TOO?!" Buggy questioned. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS FLOOR?!"

"What?!" Bon Clay asked.

"W-wait!" Luffy said. "If he's here, then what happened to Iva and Crabby?!"

_Oh, no…_ Blizzard thought. _You don't think that…?!_

XXX

Down on Level 3, it is revealed that Inazuma has also been poisoned…as well as Ivankov.

XXX

"Dammit!" Luffy cursed as he prepared to go and face Magellan once more, only to be stopped by Bon Clay and Blizzard.

"No! Don't!" Bon Clay said. "You know we can't fight him!"

_It's too late for them, Luffy!_ Blizzard thought. _We have to go and save Fire Fist! Now!_

"**Y-yes, sir…but…are you certain you want to send all the ships away?"**

Jimbei looked up and saw a guard…speaking into a Mini Transponder Snail, and then back at Magellan, who is also speaking into a Mini Transponder Snail.

"Have them sail, immediately!" he ordered.

_Oh, no!_ Jimbei thought. _So that's what they were planning!_

"LUFFY!" he cried. "QUICKLY! WE HAVE TO LEAVE! GET TO THE MAIN ENTRANCE!"

"Huh?" Luffy muttered. "But why?!"

"We have a bad situation on our hands!" Jimbei said. "We've been too preoccupied with Magellan!"

"What?!" Bon Clay questioned.

_Crap!_ Blizzard thought. _Now what?!_

"Look out! The Hydra's coming!" cried one of the prisoners as the Hydra lunged at Luffy and the others.

"Oh, no!" Luffy said.

_Not again!_ Blizzard thought.

Just when it seemed that poisonous beast was about to hit its target…

"Candle WALL!"

**SPLAKK!** Mr. 3 created a giant wall of wax, stopping the Hydra from attacking!

_What the hell…?_ Blizzard thought before he looked to Mr. 3 in disbelief. _He's…protecting us?_

"Damn you, Straw Hat!" Mr. 3 cursed at Luffy. "Your naïve sentimentality makes me sick! I do just one little favor for you, and you think that we're friends!"

"Mr. 3!" Luffy cried.

"Now, all of you, get out of here!" Mr. 3 shouted. "I can't hold out for very long! I don't want to owe you one thing!"

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

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><p>Review, please!<p> 


	23. Captain Jimbei Warlord of the Sea

**Ch. 23- Captain Jimbei, Warlord of the Sea**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>On Level 1 Crimson Hell, one the heads of Magellan's Hydra has now been encased in wax, thanks to Mr. 3.<p>

"Now, go on!" Mr. 3 shouted. "Get going, all of you!"

"Wax…?" Magellan questioned.

"That's right, Magellan," said Mr. 3. "I ate the Wax-Wax Devil Fruit! I am a wax-man! And this wall of wax I have created is as thick and strong as iron! No poison can penetrate it!"

"Hmph!" Crocodile grunted with a smirk. "You never know how one Devil Fruit power will work against another, do you?"

_That's…amazing!_ Blizzard thought, mouth agape with surprise and amazement.

"Whoa! Did you see that?!" asked one of the inmates.

"He stopped Magellan's Hydra!" exclaimed another.

"Yeah! Way to go, Three!" cheered one of the New Kamas.

"Oh, yeah! That's right!" said Luffy. "I forgot you could do that!"

"As long as we're not in a hot place!" said Mr. 3. "Now get moving! I want to leave, too, you know!"

"Jimbei!" Luffy called. "Didn't you say that we have to steal a battleship?"

"That's right, and we must hurry!" said Jimbei.

"Then you take Blizzard and go steal one for us!" said Luffy.

_W-w-wait, wait, WHAT NOW?!_ Blizzard questioned in his head, shocked.

"I'll stay here and stop that poison guy!" Luffy said. "I've got a plan! It'll be too hard for us to steal a ship if he's still chasing after us!"

"That may be true," said Jimbei, "but are you certain that your plan will work? Don't take any unnecessary risks!"

"I'll be okay!" Luffy rebuked.

_ARE YOU FREAKING CRAZY?!_ Blizzard thought. _NO WAY IN HELL AM I LEAVING YOU HERE WITH HIM, LUFFY!_

"Come, Blizzard!" Jimbei said.

**GRRAAARRF!** Blizzard barked at him.

_SHUT UP!_ he thought. _YOU'RE NOT MY MASTER!_

"Blizzard, just go with him!" Luffy demanded, forcing his dog to look at him. "Please!"

Blizzard looked at Luffy, whimpering worriedly. Luffy got down on one knee and pet him on the head.

"I'll be okay, this time, buddy," said Luffy. "I promise."

A slight pause. Then, Blizzard walked up to Luffy and nuzzled his face against his chest.

_You had better not die on me, this time,_ he thought.

"Jimbei, take care of Blizzard, okay?" Luffy asked the Fishman. "Don't let anything happen to him, or else I'll kick your ass."

"You have my word," said Jimbei. "Come, Blizzard! Let's hurry!"

Blizzard nodded before he ran off with Jimbei, Crocodile, as well as many more prisoners.

"Okay, Three!" Luffy said as he punched a fist into his palm. "Let's you and me fight him as a team!"

"W-WHAT?! NO!" Mr. 3 cried. "I don't want to fight, don't you see?! I was only trying to block whatever I could while I run away!"

"We'll back you up, Mr. 3!" cheered one of the inmates.

"I SAID THAT I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT!" Mr. 3 cried before he growled in frustration. "Oh, FINE! You leave me no choice! Let's go, Straw Hat!"

"Right!" Luffy cried.

"Wax-Wax…CANDLE ARMOR!"

**GLOOP! GLOOP!** Luffy's arms and feet were soon encased in wax armor boxing gloves and boots, similar to the ones on Mr. 3's Candle Champion.

"Okay," Luffy said. "With these, I'll be able to- WHOOOOOOOOAAA~!"

When Luffy paused in mid-sentence to look at himself, his eyes started to sparkle in amazement, and the rest of the inmates seemed to agree, for they cheered and whistled, ecstatically.

"SO COOL~!" he shouted. "IT'S PERFECT!"

"Never mind that!" Mr. 3 yelled. "Keep your eyes on the enemy! This is no time to be celebrating!"

"I…I don't know why," said Luffy in a tearful voice, "but…this brings tears to my eyes." He turned to Mr. 3, trying to comically wipe away his tears. "Thank you! Thank you making me look so awesome!"

"LIKE I GIVE A DAMN!" Mr. 3 shouted. "HURRY UP AND FIGHT!"

"HYDRA!"

While they were distracted, Magellan attacked with his Hydra, again.

"WAH! Here it comes, again!"

Luckily for them, Mr. 3 saw it coming.

"That won't work on me, Magellan!" Mr. 3 exclaimed. "Candle WALL!"

**GLOOP! SPLAK!** Mr. 3 conjured up another giant wall of wax, stopping the Hydra in its tracks. That gave Luffy his chance to attack. **TMP! TMP!** He jumped up, actually stepping into the pools of poison that had formed, but was unharmed due to his feet being incased in wax, before he lunged at Magellan. **WHUP! WHUP! WHUP!** He began to stretch and spin his arm around.

"Gum-GUUUUUUM…CHAMPION RIFLE!"

**WHAM!** Luffy's punch hit Magellan, who blocked it, but was pushed back, but now, his poison meant nothing, for Luffy's fist were now protected by the wax boxing gloves!

"All right!" Luffy said. "Now I can touch him!"

"Hey, look!"

The inmates appeared with some cannons.

"We found some cannons!"

"With some wax walls to mount them in, too!"

"Ready…FIRE!"

**KABOOM! BOOOOOM!** The resulting blast hits Magellan.

"Yes!" Luffy said. "We can still win this!"

XXX

Meanwhile, at the main entrance, the guards have all been defeated by Bon Clay, Mr. 1, and the rest of the escapees.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha!" Bon Clay laughed. "No one can stand a chance against me, out here!"

"You lowered your guard too soon," said Mr. 1, who was holding up an unconscious guard with bloody hands. "What are you, an amateur?"

"WHAT WAS THAT?!" he shouted.

"Don't forget, there are ten Marine battleships out there," Mr. 1 said, "and each of them are loaded with over 800 soldiers, and only God knows what other surprises they might have for us. If we steal a ship, the rest of the fleet will be on us before you know it, so stay alert."

"R…right," Bon Clay gulped.

"Get ready, men!" Buggy yelled. "We're gonna open these gates!"

"At last," an inmate weeps, wiping his tears. "I can finally breathe the fresh air of freedom!"

"Shut up, you idiot!" shouted Buggy. "We're not out, yet!" He then turned to the others. "If we can beat the Marines, then we'll be in Heaven, but if we lose, it's back to Hell we go!:

**KLUNK! KREEK!** The door began to open, revealing a small ray of light..

"We gotta bust out of here," said Buggy, "and make it to the sea, no matter how many Marine soldiers stand in our way!"

The escapees broke into cheers as the doors opened.

"Bring 'em on!"

"Let's go, men!" Buggy ordered.

And so, the army of rioters broke through the gate, cheering and shouting, but as they reached the pier, they saw, to their horror…that all the ships were gone.

"No! It can't be!" cried one of the New Kamas.

"The ships! They're all gone!" cried another.

"There's not one ship for us steal!" exclaimed another.

"The Marines are gone, too!"

"What are we gonna do, now?!"

"Yeah! If we don't do something, Magellan will catch up to us!"

"WHAT'S GOING ON~?!" Buggy questioned.

"It seems as if those damn Marines aren't as stupid as we thought," said Crocodile. "And these waters are full of Sea Kings. Being positioned in the Calm Belt is one of Impel Down's chief defenses."

At that moment, the prisoners slumped on the ground, beginning to lose their hope of escaping for good.

"What do we do, now?" asked one of the inmates.

"After we just fought our way through all the levels just to get here…"

"ARGH! Don't tell me we gotta go back!"

_Crap…not good…!_ Blizzard thought.

"This is not the time to be mourning," said Jimbei. "They only set sail since Magellan gave the order." He pointed to a familiar shape, drifting away beyond the curtain of fog. "Take a good, long look. You see? There's one now. You can see it through the fog."

"Hey, you're right!" said one of the inmates. "But…what good will that do? They're too far away!"

"Don't worry about that," said Jimbei. "I'm here, so leave everything to me!"

XXX

A moment later, Jimbei had torn down the door and **SPLASH!** Dropped it in the water.

"Here! Take this Mini Transponder Snail I found with you, just in case!" said an inmate as he gave it to Buggy.

"We have to hurry!" Jimbei said.

"Then get moving, already!" Crocodile ordered.

Blizzard, however, sat behind the cheering escapees, watching the corridor.

_I have to stay here…and wait for Luffy,_ he thought.

Meanwhile, Jimbei was swimming away…carrying the huge, heavy door on his back with Buggy, Crocodile, and Mr. 1 on board.

"Whoa! Do you see that?!"

"Yeah! He's carrying that heavy door like it's nothing!"

"Well, what did you expect? He is a captain of the Fishman Pirates, after all!"

"Ah, man! Now I'm getting pumped! I didn't know that I was gonna get to watch two of the Seven Warlords fight!"

"Maybe there's hope for us, yet!"

"Not only that, but our savior, Captain Buggy, is going with them! He's one hell of a guy!"

Buggy seemed to grin proudly at that statement, but as he turned to look at the ones who had been left behind, he chuckled silently to himself.

_Those morons!_ he thought. _You're better off going with these two Warlords than staying back there and waiting for Magellan to kill you!_

Suddenly, **BOOM!** Something exploded on the water, nearly hitting the quartet.

"WAH!" Buggy cried. "DON'T TELL ME THEY'VE SEEN US!"

Indeed they have. The Marines had seen Jimbei carrying the door with Buggy, Crocodile, and Mr. 1, and had opened fire on them.

"Did you see that?! They dodged it! What speed!"

"Hey! That's 'Sea Knight' Jimbei!"

"Who cares?! Fire the cannons! If we can hit Jimbei, then they're sunk!"

"There they are!" Jimbei said. "The fleet of battleships!"

**BOOM! BOOM! BA-BOOM! BOOM!** The Marines fired their cannons on them, again.

"Hang on, tight," said Jimbei. "I'm going to fling you all onto the ship."

"Huh?!" a shocked Buggy questioned. "Wait a minute! What do you mean, fish-head?!"

However, Jimbei is nowhere to be seen.

"Huh?!" Buggy muttered. "Hey! Where did he go?! He's gone! That bastard! He left us here to die!"

"Shut up!" Crocodile barked.

Under the water, Jimbei is seen swimming beneath the door.

"Fishman Jujitsu!" the whale shark Fishman exclaimed. "Water Heart!"

**BLUP! KRK!** Jimbei made a bowl-shaped gesture with his hands, and then, as if it were made of cloth, he actually yanked at the water!

"Ocean Current…SHOULDER THROW!"

**SWOOOO~!** Jimbei threw a current of water upward.

XXX

Back up on the surface, the Marines were still firing at Buggy, Crocodile, and Mr. 3. **BOOM! BOOM!**

"H-hey! Jimbei! W-what's happening?! We're gonna get hit, at this rate!" Buggy cried, panicking. "AAAAAAAAAAAHH~~!"

"Why did you even bother to come with us?" asked Mr. 1.

Just then, **SPLOOOOSH!** A huge spout of water came jetting out of the sea!

"What the-?!" cried a Marine soldier. "Look at that huge water spout! It almost looks like it's alive!"

"What do you think it is?!" asked a Marine captain.

"Beats me!" said a Marine Vice-Admiral.

"Hey, look! There's someone riding on it! It looks like…Crocodile?!"

**SPLOOSH!** The water spout landed on one of the battleships, nearly flooding the deck. Crocodile and Mr. 1 managed to land on their feet, safely, but Buggy was unfortunate enough to land on his face.

"THEY'RE HERE!" the Marines cried.

"He did it," Crocodile whispered.

Soon, he and Mr. 1 are surrounded by the Marines.

"They're after the ship! Whatever you, don't let them have it!"

"All we have to do is push those Devil Fruit users into the sea, and we win!"

"And just who, exactly, is going to push who into the ocean?" Crocodile questioned, glaring menacingly.

"I guess you bugs need to learn your place," said Mr. 1.

An unconscious Buggy just lied there.

**CHAAK!** The Marines aimed their artillery at the three.

"Don't let up! Cast them out into the sea!" said another one.

All of a sudden, one of them noticed what looked a whirlpool, swirling in the water, and sitting in the middle of it is Jimbei.

"Fishman Karate…SPEAR WAVE!"

**BOOM!** Jimbei made a spear out of water and shot it at the battleship, destroying it's upper deck.

"Hey!" Crocodile shouted.

"Whoops," Jimbei said. "My mistake. I forgot, we need this ship."

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

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><p>Sorry if this one is short and a little rushed.<p>

Review, please!


	24. Island Ripper

**Ch. 24- Island Ripper**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

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><p>"Gum-Gum…CHAMPION RIFLE!"<p>

**BAM!** Luffy punched Magellan with a waxy fist once again, forcing him back.

"THAT'S ENOUGH~~~!" Magellan roared.

Luffy looked up at Magellan, as did the rest of the remaining inmates.

"I've had enough of these shenanigans," Magellan growled. "I didn't want to have to do this, but you criminals leave me no choice."

Suddenly, a strange, reddish-purple liquid started to seep out of the Warden's skin, and something began to take shape behind him.

"This poison technique of mine," Magellan explained, "is forbidden for me to use because it could destroy the very foundation of Impel Down, itself!"

"Oh, no!" Mr. 3 cried. "This is terrible! Quick, Straw Hat! We must run!"

Luffy charged at Magellan, not heeding Mr. 3's warning.

"Gum-Gum…CHAMPION STAMP!"

**WHAM!** He gave Magellan a powerful kick, which was blocked by his arm.

"No!" Mr. 3 said. "Don't be reckless! You can't touch him, now, even with my wax!"

**SWUP! GLUP!** As Luffy pulled his leg back, he realized that the poison was starting to spread, making him gasp in shock.

"Wax-Wax RELEASE!"

**GLOOP!** All the wax melted off of Luffy's limbs.

"Whoa!" Luffy gasped. "Thanks, Three! That was a close one!"

"Don't thank me, yet!" Mr. 3 said.

"Venom Demon…JUDGEMENT OF HELL!"

Behind Magellan, a gigantic demon-looking creature, made entirely of poison, had formed behind him, and it seemed to be mimicking his every motion. Not just that, but it seemed to be spreading, too!

"AAAAAAAAH! QUICK, LET'S GET OUTTA HERE!"

One escaped inmate was unfortunate to get drenched by the Venom Demon's poisonous touch.

"Damn it!" the inmate cursed before he grabbed another prisoner. "Help me! Please! Take me with you!"

"Lemme go! Don't touch me!" shouted the inmate. However, he stopped when he saw that the poison was starting to spread to clothes and skin! Soon, he fell down to the ground, screaming in agony before he breathed his last.

**Hrr…hrr…!** The Venom Demon growled as it and Magellan gave chase after Luffy, Mr. 3, and the rest of the prisoners.

"The poison spreads and spreads and it will kill anything it touches," Mr. 3 explained as he and Luffy ran, "even wax and stone!"

"So that means your wax armor won't work against him, anymore!" Luffy realized.

XXX

At the main entrance, Bon Clay was still pirouetting away, but all the while, he couldn't help but wonder…

"Where could Straw Hat be?" he questioned. "I hope nothing's happened to him."

_He better not have let Magellan catch him,_ Blizzard thought.

"Where's Jimbei with that battleship?!" asked Bon Clay.

"Well, I do hear cannons being fired," said a New Kama, "but I can't see a damn thing through the fog, even with binoculars!"

"I think we can trust them to get us a ship," said another New Kama, "but…they're so far away! By the time they get back here, Magellan would've gotten us, already!"

"Straw Hat Luffy might be strong," said another, "but there's no way he's a match for that monster, Magellan, for long!"

Blizzard growled silently as he continued to stare down the corridor. Even if Jimbei somehow managed to make it, he was not going anywhere until he knew Luffy was safe, and the only he'd know he was safe is if he saw him come running up the corridor without a drop of poison on him.

_Come on, Luffy,_ Blizzard thought. _You, too, Jimbei!_

XXX

On the battleship, the Marines are trying their hardest to fight off Crocodile and Mr. 1.

"Throw them into the sea! Don't let them take this ship, no matter what!"

"Desert SPADA!"

**KRASH!** Crocodile sent three blades made of sand at the Marines.

"Fools," he said.

**BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! KLANK! KLANK!** The Marines opened fire on Mr. 1, who blocked the bullets with his now sharpened arm.

"What the hell is he?!"

"It's like his entire body of made of knives!"

"That's the power of the Dice-Dice Fruit," Mr. 1 said, nonchalantly.

Then, as he stood up on just one hand, Mr. 1 spun around with his sharpened legs out, cutting the Marines down.

"Wait!" a Marine cried. "I know that guy! He's Daz Bones, the assassin of the West Blue!"

As the Marines were sent flying away, Buggy still remained unconscious.

"It's only a matter of time before those bastards take the ship!" said a Marine Vice-Admiral. "It'll only be a stain on the Marines' honor! Sink that ship, immediately!"

"Sir, yes sir!"

"Ready the cannons!" the Vice-Admiral ordered.

However, before that order could be carried out, **SHWOO! SHWOO!** Two currents of water came leaping out of the water, like a couple of serpents.

"It's those water spouts from before!" shouted the Vice-Admiral.

**SPLOOSH!** The currents came crashing down on the battleship, drenching the Marines and their gunpowder, thus rendering it useless.

"Look! Down there!" cried a Marine as he pointed to the water. "It's Jimbei!"

Jimbei looked up at the Marines, poised to fight.

"Quick! Fire with the other cannons!" shouted the Vice-Admiral.

XXX

Meanwhile, back at the main entrance…

"Hurry up! He's right behind us!"

The prisoners are still waiting for Jimbei, Crocodile, and Buggy to come back, when suddenly…

"Hey! Is everyone here, yet?!"

Blizzard gasped, as did Bon Clay.

"That's Straw Hat's voice!" said Bon Clay, excitedly.

_Luffy! He made it!_ Blizzard thought. _I knew he wouldn't let me down!_

Luffy, Mr. 3, and a few prisoners came running towards the entrance, but not too far away, **KRASH!** Magellan's Venom Demon is still chasing them.

_WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!_ Blizzard questioned in thought.

"QUICK! WE GOTTA GET OUTTA HERE!" Luffy cried. "DO WE HAVE A SHIP, YET?!"

"WHAT'S THAT THING CHASING THEM?!" a prisoner questioned in shock.

"OH, NO! IT'S MAGELLAN!" cried a New Kama. "AND WE'VE GOT NOWHERE TO RUN!"

"Straw Hat!" Bon Clay cried. "We don't have a ship, yet!"

"WHAT?!"

_Crap, crap, crap, crap, CRAP!_ Blizzard thought. _DAMMIT, JIMBEI! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!_

XXX

Meanwhile, on Level 1...

"Hell…WINK!"

XXX

Back at the main entrance, the ground began to give way. **KRAK! KRAK! KRAK!**

"Huh?" Bon Clay muttered.

_What in the-_ Blizzard was about to think, but then…

**KRASH!** Something came up through the floor. It's Ivankov!

"WAAH!" Bon Clay cried.

"WHAT THE HELL?! THAT FREAKING SCARED ME!"

"Huh?" Luffy muttered. "Iva?!"

"It looks…I made it just in time…ugh…" Ivankov said before he soon slipped into unconscious.

"Oh, no! He hit the back of his head and passed out!"

Tucked under Ivankov's arm, there is Inazuma, still drenched in poison.

"Iva and Inazuma are both all right!" the New Kamas cheered.

"Iva!" Bon Clay cried, tearfully.

"Those bastards!" Magellan growled.

"Straw Hat! Here! This is from Jimbei! Catch!"

Luffy reached up and caught something in his hand.

"Huh? What is it?" he asked.

"A Mini Transponder Snail!" Mr. 3 replied.

XXX

On the battleship, Jimbei, Crocodile, Mr. 1, and Buggy have successfully taken the ship.

"Ha-ha-ha!" Buggy cackled. "Well done, men!"

"Why did you even bother coming?" asked Mr. 1.

"Luffy? Are you there?!" Jimbei asked through the Mini Transponder Snail.

"**Yeah! I'm here, but the Poison Guy's still after me! Blizzard and I are trapped at the pier!"**

"I'm sorry, Luffy!" Jimbei apologized. "We managed to get a ship, but we're too far away to get to you!"

"**What?! But what are we gonna do?!"**

XXX

"**Don't give up, Luffy!"** Jimbei said on the other line. **"Quick! You must jump into the water!"**

"But…I'll drown!" Luffy said.

"**Get everyone into the water, now! I don't care how you do it! Throw them in if you have to!"**

_He's crazy!_ Blizzard thought.

"Are you crazy, Jimbei?!" shouted a prisoner. "This is the Calm Belt!"

"**Just leave it to me!"**

"…okay," Luffy said before he turned around to face Magellan, once again. "We're gonna have to do what he says! Three! Help me out!"

"Are you daft?!" Mr. 3 cried. "If we jump into the sea, we'll drown! That Fish-face is a Government dog, remember?! You can't trust him!"

**GRRAAAARR!** Blizzard barked at Mr. 3, causing him to flinch.

_SHUT UP!_ the wolf-dog thought.

"He's Ace's friend," Luffy said. "I can trust him!"

"The ocean?" Magellan questioned. "Well, go ahead! These waters are infested are crawling with Sea Kings! JUDGEMENT OF HELL!"

"Everybody, get back!"

"Stay away from the poison! Don't let even one drop touch you!"

"NO! It's all over for us~~!"

**CHOMP!** Luffy bit down on his thumb.

"Gear…THIRD!"

**FWOO!** He began to blow air into his bones.

"Extra Large CANDLE WALL~!"

**GLUP! GLUP! GLUP! GLUP!** A huge wall of wax with spikes on the front, blocking Magellan's path.

"It's no use!" Magellan said. "Your efforts are in vain!"

"Wanna bet?!" Luffy questioned. "Gum-GUUUUUUM…GIANT STAMP!"

**WHAM!** Luffy's gigantic foot slammed into the wall of wax, smashing it into Magellan's Venom Demon.

"Hey! Look at that! He pushed him back!"

"Yeah, but the poison is still coming!"

"Hey! Iva! IVA!" a shrunken Luffy called. "Wake up, Iva! Wake up!"

Ivankov suddenly regains consciousness.

"Huh? What?!" he questioned, confused.

"Do you wink thing, Iva!" Luffy shouted. "Come on! Hurry!"

"W-who are…?" Ivankov started to ask. "Oh, all right."

Just then, a thought occurred to Blizzard.

_Wait a sec,_ he thought to himself. _If Ivankov does that…then he'll…_ He glanced to the sea, and then back at Ivankov. _Oh…crap._

"Hell…"

"No! Lord Ivankov, don't! Not that!"

"Don't do it! The kid's crazy!"

"I don't understand," said Magellan. "They don't have a ship to escape on! If they jump into the water, they're sure to die! No matter…I still won't let them get away!"

"Quick, everybody!" Luffy shouted. "Grab onto Iva's face! Hurry!"

"His face?!"

"WINK!"

**BA-BOOM!** Ivankov gave Magellan a powerful wink, which sent him, Luffy, Blizzard, and all the escaped prisoners flying towards the sea!

_**ARROOOOOOOOOOOO~!**_ Blizzard howled, frightfully.

_THIS IS THE STUPIDEST THING WE COULD'VE EVER DONE~!_

However, someone spotted something in the water.

"Hey! What are those?"

"There's something swimming underwater!"

"They don't look like Sea Kings!"

"What are they?!"

On the ship…

"They made it," said Jimbei. "Just in time! Sorry to call you all out on such dangerous waters."

**THUD!** Ivankov landed on…the back of something.

"Hey! We're safe!"

"Looks like we landed on something!"

"Whoa!" Luffy said.

"Check it out!"

"Yikes!"

_Whale sharks!_ Blizzard thought.

Indeed. A whole swarm of whale sharks had appeared and are jumping about in the water. If it weren't for them, then the escapees would've all drowned!

"Jimbei must've called them here, just like Camie does with fish!" Luffy mused. "Awesome!"

Back at the pier, Magellan stood there in shock and disbelief. For the first time ever…someone actually managed to break in and out of Impel Down and barely got away with his life and taking many prisoners with him: Monkey D. Luffy!

"Bring them here to me!" Jimbei called to the whale sharks.

"Jimbei…he's incredible!" Luffy said, smiling and panting.

_Sure as shootin', Luffy,_ a smirking Blizzard thought. _Sure as shootin'._

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

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><p>Yay! Another chapter!<p>

We're nearing the end of this arc, people, so look alive!

Review, please!


	25. Thank You

**Ch. 25- Thank You**

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><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

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><p><strong>THUD!<strong> The whale sharks threw Luffy, Blizzard, and the others onto the stolen battleship. Once there, the escapees began to cheer and dance. They even popped some confetti into the air.

"WE MADE IT!" Buggy cried, splitting apart.

"WE'VE REACHED THE SHIP!" said Ivankov.

"WE'RE FINALLY FREE~!" Luffy and Buggy cried, arms hooked around each other's shoulders, as if the latter had forgotten his animosity towards the former.

Mr. 3 was on his knees, tearfully thanking the heavens for letting him escape from Impel Down, at last.

_**ARROOOOOOOOOOOOOO~!**_ Blizzard howled, rejoicing his freedom, as well.

_HALLELUJAH!_ he thought.

"It's too soon to be celebrating, now," Jimbei remarked as he stood at the wheel. "We need to keep moving."

"Thanks a lot, whale sharks!" Luffy called.

"Yeah! You saved us!"

"Have a safe journey back home!"

**SPLASH! SPLASH!** The whale sharks splashed about in the water before they swam away.

"We have to start neutralizing the poison in Inazuma's body, right away!" shouted Ivankov as he laid a dying Inazuma down on a sheet. "Bring me all the medicine from the infirmary!"

"Yes, sir, Lord Iva!" said on of the New Kamas before he ran to the ship's infirmary.

"I'm never going back to that godforsaken hellhole, ever again!" shouted a prisoner.

"Me, neither!" shouted another. "I'm turning over a new leaf, from now on! I'm going back home to my wife and kids!"

"We're free!"

"Free at last!"

"Hallelujah~!"

"That's right! And just who do you have to thank for that? Hmm~?"

"CAPTAIN BUGGY!"

"That's right! Remember that!"

XXX

At the pier of Impel Down, Magellan stared on in disbelief.

"I didn't think those fools could be stupid enough to do it," said Magellan before he brought up a Mini Transponder Snail. "Marines! Bring me a ship! I'll go after them and finish them all off! They don't realize, but those pirates are cornered, now!"

"**Yes, sir!"**

XXX

One on of the battleships…

"Rear-Admiral!" said one of the soldiers. "We've repaired the cannons that were knocked out of commission by Jimbei!"

"All right," said the Rear-Admiral.

XXX

"**All hands, FIRE AT WILL!"**

**BOOM! BOOM!** The Marines opened fire on the stolen ship.

"WAAH! THEY'RE SHOOTING AT US!"

"Dammit! Those Marines are back!"

"How many ships are there?!"

The escapees looks back and saw, to their horror, that the whole fleet is after them, and had started to fire their cannons!

**BA-BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOOOOM!** One of the cannonballs hit the ship!

"AGH! WE'RE HIT! WE'RE HIT!"

"All Marine officers of Vice-Admiral rank and above have been summoned to Marineford," said Jimbei, "but a battleship is a battleship, no matter who is controlling it! They're still an enemy!"

"You foolish pirates!" shouted the voice of a Marine Rear-Admiral. "Your efforts are in vain! The Gates of Justice will NEVER OPEN for the likes of you!"

_What?!_ Blizzard thought in shock before he, as well as Luffy and the rest, looked up and saw, to their horror, that the Gates of Justice were closed!

"Oh, crap! We forgot about that thing!"

"This is bad!" Mr. 3 cried. "We can't open it from here!"

"We came all the way here for nothing?!" Luffy questioned.

"What are you going to do, Sharky?!" Buggy asked Jimbei, panicked.

"Just keep sailing on," Jimbei answered.

"You're crazy!" shouted Buggy. "We're in the worst possible situation, right now! WHY IN THE HELL ARE YOU SO CALM?!"

Blizzard suddenly started to look around, not to see if there was a way to open the Gates of Justice, but because the wolf-dog has noticed something that no one else had.

_Bon Clay's scent…_ he thought. _I don't smell it anywhere._

"Protect the ship, for now!" Luffy ordered. "Everybody, just protect the ship!"

Everyone cried out in agreement before they ran to their battle stations.

"Don't just evade the cannonballs," Crocodile stated. "This is a battleship, too, you know! Get the cannons and return their fire, you worthless fools!"

"Hey! I just had an idea!" said Buggy. "Return their fire, men!"

"Yes, Captain Buggy!" the prisoners shouted.

"You're a genius!"

"Where do you come up with them?!"

_Idiots,_ Blizzard thought.

Crocodile used Sand-Sand Fruit powers to make the cannonballs explode in midair before they hit the ship, and Luffy used his Gum-Gum Balloon to bounce the cannonballs off his belly.

"The prisoners know that they're cornered," said another Rear-Admiral. "Why are they are still heading for the Gates of Justice? There's only one way they can open it, and that's from the control panel in Impel Down!"

"Fire!" shouted another Rear-Admiral. "We have to sink that ship! …Huh?!"

"W-what's going on?!"

"The Gates of Justice! They're…opening?!"

**KLUNK!** The gates began to open for the stolen battleship!

"But how?!" another Rear-Admiral questioned.

"What the hell's going on?!"

"Why's the gate opening?!"

On the stolen battleship, the escapees are also shocked and confused.

"What's happening?!" Mr. 3 questioned. "Is this some kind of trap?!"

"Yes!" Luffy cheered. "I don't really know why, but the gates are opening! Hooray!"

_Yeah, yeah, but seriously,_ Blizzard thought. _Where's Bon Clay?_

XXX

Back at Impel Down's pier, a battleship came to pick Magellan up so he could follow Luffy's band of rioters.

"Warden Magellan! Please, hurry!"

Magellan was going to board to the ship, but then he stops and gasps in shock.

"No, wait!" he said. "No…this is impossible! Why are the Gates of Justice opening?!"

XXX

Inside Impel Down's 1st floor control room…

"Are you absolutely certain you want the gate to open…Warden?!" asked a jailer.

"Of course," answered "Magellan". "Are you questioning me?"

"N-no, sir! Of course not!" said the jailer. "I'd never doubt you!"

"Good," said "Magellan". "Now, once that ship goes through the Gates of Justice, close it right away so no one follows! Is that understood?"

"Y-yes, sir!" said the jailer.

XXX

Back outside, the Marines are still firing at the escaping pirates.

"DON'T LET THOSE PIRATES GET AWAY! OPEN FIRE!"

"What's going on, here?! Why would Magellan order this?! It doesn't make any sense!"

"I don't understand why he would do something so foolish! What does he have to say for himself?!"

"I don't think that the Warden is behind this! He was at the main entrance, not too long ago!"

XXX

Back inside Impel Down…

**TMP! TMP! TMP! TMP! HUFF! HUFF! SLAM!** Someone came charging into the control room.

"Control room!" Magellan shouted, forcing the other Magellan and the rest of the jailers to look up. "What do you think you're doing?! Who the hell ordered you to open the Gates of Justice?!" He then noticed his double. "Huh?"

"What?!" the jailer questioned in surprise. "W-Warden?!"

"Oh, dear…" the other Magellan whispered.

XXX

On the battleship…

"You're kidding," said a shocked Luffy. "You mean Bon did that?!"

_I knew something was up!_ Blizzard thought.

When Luffy finally noticed that Bon Clay wasn't on the ship with everyone, Jimbei was forced to tell him why: he had stayed behind to make sure that everyone got out, safely.

"But…how?!" Luffy asked. "Bon was right beside me at the main entrance! We gotta go back and save him!"

Jimbei was silent.

"You're just gonna keep going?!" Luffy asked him.

"My apologies, Luffy, but there's no time!" Jimbei answered.

_As much as I hate to admit, he's right, Luffy,_ Blizzard thought. _We have to keep going without him!_

"SO YOU'RE JUST GOING TO ABANDON HIM?!" Luffy questioned, angrily.

"WE'VE ALREADY LOST HUNDRED OF US TO GET THIS FAR!" Jimbei snapped. "Do you want to go back and fight Magellan, again, JUST TO DIE, AS WELL?!"

Luffy just seethed.

"You'll only lose more men, Luffy!" Jimbei continued. "Not just that, but Ace will die, too! Someone had to stay behind to open the gate!"

Luffy balled his fists until his knuckles turned white.

_Flashback_

Jimbei, Blizzard, Bon Clay and the rest of the prisoners are running to the main entrance, leaving Luffy to fight off Magellan. Blizzard wasn't paying attention at the time, but Bon Clay and Jimbei were formulating a plan.

"I'll do it," said Bon Clay. "I'll open the Gates of Justice so you and Straw Hat can escape!"

"That's rather noble of you," said Jimbei, "but what are you going to do after that?"

"Don't ask now, since I've already made up my mind, " said Bon Clay. "Also, don't tell Straw Hat until after the connection is severed…goodbyes will not be needed."

_Flashback end_

**SWUP!** Jimbei revealed a Mini Transponder Snail.

"Here," he said to Luffy. "You can still talk to him, using this. It's still connected."

**KABOOM!** The Marines are still shooting at them.

"However," Jimbei continued, "the Mini Transponder Snail's range is short, Luffy! Once the Gates of Justice close…the connection will be severed."

"… … …okay. Give it here."

XXX

Back in Impel Down…

"You impostor…" Magellan hissed.

It is revealed that it is Bon Clay in disguise!

"Ha-ha-ha-ha!" he laughed as he struck his signature ballet pose. "That's right! It's me!"

"He was an impostor the whole time?!" the staff questioned.

"I'm so glad that I managed to put your face and body in my memory once I had the chance!"

_Flashback_

"What in the HELL happened here?!" Magellan questioned Hannyabal, who was actually Bon Clay in disguise. Bon Clay managed to touch Magellan's face with his left hand, even though he was being choked.

_Flashback end_

"How dare you…" Magellan began, but then…

**BZZT!**

"**BON!"**

A voice came onto the Mini Transponder Snail in Bon Clay's hand, making everyone freeze.

_Straw Hat…!_ Bon Clay thought.

"**Bon! It's me, Luffy! Can you hear me?!"**

"**ARF! ARF! ARF!"** Blizzard barked on the other line.

**KRKKZZTT!** There was static for a minute. There wasn't much time left until the line went dead.

"**Bon! Why?! Why did you do it?! It's just like how you did in Alabasta!"**

Bon Clay gasped.

_Jimbei!_ he thought. _You said you wouldn't tell him until the connection was severed!_

"**We were supposed to leave, together! You've always helped me, Bon, but I never get to return the favor!"**

Bon Clay chewed his lip and shivered.

XXX

"Bon Clay!" Luffy cried from the battleship, surrounded by eavesdroppers. "Please! If you're there…ANSWER ME!"

"So that's it!" said one of the New Kamas. "That guy stayed behind so he could make sure we got away in time!"

_Damn…_ Blizzard thought. _I hate it when people like him sacrifice themselves like this!_

"Bon!"

"Big Bro Bon! Speak to us!"

"Please!"

XXX

"**BON! ANSWER ME!"**

Bon swallowed the lump in his throat.

XXX

"Mr. 2!" Mr. 3 cried.

"Mr. 2! You're so brave!" cried Buggy as tears began to form in his eyes. "You…you're so brave! I'm so sorry for everything!"

"Bon Boy!" Ivankov said

XXX

"**BON…KRRKK!"**

"**BON CLAY!"**

"**BROTHER…BZZTT…BON!"**

"**ARF! ARF!"**

"**BON!"**

Bon Clay choked back a sob.

"**Bon Clay!"**

He looked up again when he Luffy's voice.

"**Bon! The gates are closing! We're…BZZT! We're leaving, now! B-but…I just wanna say…BZZZZZZTT…THANK YOU, BON! KRRRKKZZT! THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING~~!"**

Bon Clay couldn't hold back. The tears came cascading down his face, causing his makeup to run.

"**THANK YOU, BROTHER BON!"**

"**THANK YOU!"**

"**WE'LL NEVER FORGET YOU~!"**

"_**ARROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~~!**_**"**

Bon Clay fell to his knees, sobbing. He held the Mini Transponder Snail up, one last time.

XXX

"**Straw Hat!"**

Luffy gasped.

The Mini Transponder Snail was crying…just like Bon Clay.

"B…Bon!" Luffy said.

"**GO SAVE YOUR BROTHER, STRAW HAT~!"**

**Blub! Plip! Plip!** Luffy's tears came spilling out of his eyes.

"**I know…KRRZZT…you…ZZZTT…"**

"Bon! Bon Clay!" Luffy shouted.

Blizzard turned away, his own tears starting to fall.

Behind them, the gate started to close.

"The Gates of Justice are closing!"

"Stop them! Sink that ship!"

**BOOM! KABOOM! BOOM!** The Marines kept firing at them, but it was all for naught.

**KLUNK!** The gate had closed.

**KRRK! KLIK!** The connection on the Mini Transponder Snail went dead.

"Bon!"

"Brother Bon!"

XXX

On the other side, the Marines were left shocked and dumbstruck.

"They…they got away!"

XXX

"If if weren't for Bon…we'd all be chum, right now!"

Everyone was silent as the realization of Bon Clay's sacrifice sank in.

"_The flower of friendship can bloom, even in Hell. Now the petals of that flower will be scattered upon the rolling bosom of the sea. One day…I will make that flower bloom, once more. Oh, Come My Way."_

-Words by Mr. 2 Bon Clay.

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOON~~!" everyone cried, mournfully. Luffy was possibly the most heartbroken of all.

Bon Clay was one of the greatest friends he had ever known.

_**AWWOOOOOOOOOOOOO~!**_ Blizzard howled in mourning, as well.

_WE'LL NEVER FORGET YOU, BON!_

XXX

"Any last words?" asked Magellan as his hand turned to poison.

"Satisfaction…" a smirking Bon Clay said as he poised himself to fight.

_May we meet again…as soon as possible._

Impel Down. On this day…241 prisoners succeeded in escaping from the world's greatest underwater prison. This will be the worst disgrace in its history, but the incident is far from over. Only four hours remained…until the public execution of Portgas D. Ace.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

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><p>Next one's the last! Then I'll start more <span>Whereabouts of the Crew<span>! After that, it's the Marineford War (Dun-dun-DUUUUUN)!

Review, please!


	26. Battleship

**Ch. 26- Battleship**

* * *

><p>One Piece © Oda<p>

Blizzard © Me

* * *

><p>Inside Impel Down's Level 4...<p>

"You lot live your lives to dangerously. If I hadn't shown up with the antidote, you'd all be long dead. Underestimating Magellan like that will get you killed!"

It is revealed that the Blackbeard Pirate crew has survived Magellan's poisons, thanks to the arrival of Shiryu.

"Yeah, but we're still alive!" shouted Burgess as he laughed.

"Destiny brought you here," Auger mused.

"Ho-ho-ho," Lafitte chortled. "But I did think that I was going to die for a minute, there."

"It's seem that luck…**KOFF!** Is still on our side," Doc Q coughed.

"Luck may decide who lives or who dies," said Blackbeard, who had taken off his sweaty shirt, "but whoever gets scared first loses! ZEHAHAHAHA! Let's live for the moment!" He pointed to Shiryu. "Hey, Shiryu! Thanks for saving our asses, back there! I welcome you. Looks like you'll make a great edition to our crew! ZEHAHAHAHAHA!"

"It's obvious what the future holds for me, here," said Shiryu. "I've been waiting to meet someone like you!"

Blackbeard grinned at his newest crew member.

XXX

In the Tub Current, the World Government's private route, the stolen battleship is sailing to Marineford.

"Inazuma is out of this fight, unfortunately," Ivankov stated as he poked his now normal-sized head inside the infirmary.

"Is the poison that bad?!" asked one of the New Kamas.

"I managed to blast away the poison inside me and Inazuma with my Healing Hormone and Energy Hormone," Ivankov explained, "but even so, those technique shorten the patient's life span and leave lasting effects! It's better to let them recuperate at a slower pace, unlike Straw Hat Boy."

"Are you sure, Lord Ivankov?" asked a New Kama woman.

"Vyou know very damn well that once your life gets shortened, you can never get them back!" Ivankov replied. "Inazuma is needed in the Revolutionary Army. We can't let him overexert himself, now!"

Meanwhile, everyone else is still mourning Bon Clay's sacrifice.

"You know," said Mr. 3, "he wasn't such a bad guy, after all."

"I finally got to meet up with him, again," said Luffy as he tried to wipe away his tears, "and…he saved me, just like last time!"

"Bon~!"

"Big Bro Bon!"

_He was definitely a true friend to the end,_ Blizzard thought. _You will be missed…Bon Clay._

"Hey, come on now, you guys!" Buggy said as he drank some grog, apparently done mourning. "How long are you all going to be sulking like that? Sure he was a nice guy, and all, but he's dead now! What's say we have us a party, huh? I mean, after all, we're free men! Hey! I've got an idea! Let's hold a wake for Mr. 2! Everybody, drink up- UGH!"

**THWAK!** Luffy punched Buggy right in his nose, making it bleed profusely.

"Bon could still be alive, Big Nose!" Luffy shouted.

"ARG!" Buggy cried. "The grog's making my nose bleed…! HEY, WAIT A DAMN MINUTE!" He stood up and got in Luffy's face, going nose-to-nose with him. "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU'RE CALLING 'BIG NOSE'?!"

"YOU!" Luffy shouted. "I DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE WITH A BIG RED NOSE LIKE YOURS AROUND HERE, DO YOU?!"

_Luffy…_ Blizzard thought, sweat-dropping.

Before the wolf-dog could do anything, **KRASH! BOOM! POW! BASH!** Luffy and Buggy got into all-out fistfight.

During all this, Crocodile was conversing with Jimbei.

"I thought that only mermaids could talk to fish," said Crocodile. "I knew you were a whale shark Fishman, but I didn't know you could actually summon whale sharks."

"Is it so strange for a Fishman to be on friendly terms with the ocean's creatures?" Jimbei inquired.

"It's unusual for a Fishman to be on friendly terms with anyone," Crocodile mused. "You must be an exception to your savage race."

"I'll take that as a compliment," said Jimbei. "You're right. Fishmen are savages!"

**TUMP!** Jimbei heard the sound of someone jumping and hitting the floor behind him. Looking back, he saw that it is Luffy, jumping up to the railing and landing on the tips of his toes, leaving a defeated Buggy behind as he did. Blizzard followed behind him, clearing the railing in a single bound.

"Luffy," Jimbei said.

"Huh?" Luffy muttered.

"I owe a great debt for allowing me the chance to help you save Ace," Jimbei replied.

"Aw, you don't gotta thank me," said Luffy. "Besides, I'm the one who should be grateful! I mean, you are Ace's friend, after all! I'm glad you're on our side! You sure are strong, huh?"

_For what happened now, and in the past,_ Jimbei thought, _I must express my gratitude and apologize at same the time._

As Jimbei was thinking, he couldn't help but think of a certain saw-tooth shark Fishman.

_But I'll set that aside, for now,_ the Former Warlord thought as he closed his eyes. _Right now, we only have one goal._

"Uh, by the way," Luffy said. "I never got your name."

"Call me Jimbei," said Jimbei. "I used to be one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Actually, make that 'former' Warlord, since I've probably gotten that title revoked. I'll create as much havoc as I can at Marineford! Let us fulfill Bon Clay's last wish and rescue your brother!"

"Right!" Luffy said.

A slight pause, but then…

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!" Luffy and Buggy cried.

"YOU'RE ONE OF THE SEVEN WARLORDS OF THE SEA?!" Luffy questioned as he fell back on his rump. "NO WONDER YOU'RE SO STRONG!"

"Wasn't it obvious?" asked a New Kama.

_Damn, Luffy, how many times are you gonna keep doing this?_ Blizzard asked in thought.

"My apologies for not introducing myself, earlier," said Jimbei.

"HOLD ON, JUST ONE DAMN MINUTE!" Buggy shouted. "WHAT'S THIS NONSENSE ABOUT GOING TO MARINE HEADQUARTERS?! ARE YOU TRYING TO TELL ME THAT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HEADED?! YOU'RE NUTS! THE WHITEBEARD PIRATES AND THE MARINES ARE ABOUT TO GO TO WAR, YOU FOOL!"

Soon, the escapees began to mumble to themselves.

"What did he say?!"

"Something about going to Marine HQ!"

"But you'd have to be crazy to go at a time like this!"

"You're not very bright, are you, Buggy?" asked Crocodile.

"WHAT?!" Buggy shouted.

"After we pass through the Gates of Justice, there are only two places we can go," Crocodile explained. "Marineford or Enies Lobby. Right now, we're on the Government's private sea route, the Tub Current. It's this big swirling current that connects the Government's three top facilities. Anyway, the whole purpose for the breakout was to allow us to fight in this war."

"NOBODY TOLD US THAT!" yelled Mr. 3, Buggy, and the prisoners.

"STOP THIS SHIP, RIGHT NOW!" Buggy cried as he grabbed Jimbei.

"Sorry, but that's not going to happen," Jimbei apologized.

"You can jump ship, now, if you want," said Luffy.

_I agree,_ Blizzard thought.

"HOW CAN I JUMP SHIP?!" Buggy shouted at Luffy as he grabbed the collar of his vest. "I'LL DROWN, YOU IDIOT!"

"This is crazy!"

"I'd rather go back to Impel Down than get involved in this godforsaken war!"

"Us New Kamas knew, all along."

"You gotta be kiddin'!"

"Yeah! This war is Marines and the Seven Warlords vs. the Whitebeard Pirates!"

"That's WAY scarier than any old prison!"

**BELLIP-BELLIP-BELLIP! BELLIP-BELLIP-BELLIP!**

Everyone looked up upon hearing the sound of a Transponder Snail ringing. They soon found that it was coming from a behind a door in the mast.

**BELLIP-BELLIP-BELLIP! BELLIP-BELLIP-BELLIP!** The snail kept ringing.

"M-maybe we should just pretend we're not here," Buggy whispered.

"Get outta the way!"

**FUMP!** Luffy pushed Buggy out of the way of the door, opened it and then, **KOCHIP!** He picked up the receiver on the Transponder Snail!

"Uh…hello?" he answered.

"**This is Marine Headquarters."**

"Hi. This is Luffy."

"DON'T SAY YOUR NAME OUT LOUD!" Everyone shouted.

Blizzard slapped a paw over his eyes in disbelief.

_Only Luffy!_ he thought in exasperation.

"**The Impel Down security fleet reports that a large group of prison escapees has captured a ship. We've identified the two ringleaders from the prison's video transmissions!"**

"Two?"

"**They are the pirate captains: 'Straw Hat' Monkey D. Luffy and Buggy the Clown!"**

"Me?!" Buggy questioned in shock.

"No way!"

"Seriously?!"

"Those guys sees Captain Buggy as a bigger threat than Jimbei?!"

"Who are you?!" Buggy asked. "And why me?!"

XXX

At Marine HQ…

"Bring me the data," said a Marine Vice-Admiral, sitting at a desk.

"Here you are, sir," said a soldier as he handed him a piece of paper.

XXX

"**We initially dismissed you as an upstart, but we've since discovered that you once sailed with the Pirate King, Gold Roger…"**

Everyone except Luffy and Blizzard gasped.

"**Isn't that right, Buggy the Clown?!"**

"W-WHAAAAAAT?!"

"How did they find out about that?!" Buggy whispered.

"**It has also come to light that you are the blood brother of one of the Four Emperors, 'Red-Haired' Shanks."**

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!"

"YOU AND SHANKS ARE BROTHERS?!" Luffy questioned.

"**We were surprised that a man of your caliber hadn't made much trouble before now, but after this incident, we won't be underestimating you, ever again. We found no connection between you and 'Fire Fist' Ace, but you're probably working with 'Straw Hat' Luffy to rescue him. We know that 'White Wolf' Blizzard, Jimbei, Crocodile, Ivankov, and over 200 other dangerous fugitives are aboard that stolen ship. This is your only warning! Unless we open the gates of Justice here for you, you will never reach Marineford, much less escape the Tub Current!"**

A pause.

"**You pirates have nowhere else to run, and you will NOT survive! That is all."**

"Hey, wait!" Luffy shouted.

"**Hmm?!"**

"Now, you listen to me, you damn Marine!" Luffy exclaimed. "I AM gonna save Ace! Just you watch! It'll be easy as potatoes!"

**KLANK!** He hung up.

"Hey, don't you mean 'pie', Straw Hat?"

_He must be having a craving for baked sweet potatoes, all of a sudden,_ Blizzard thought.

"Hey! Wait a second! Why in the hell are you trying to pick a fight with some guy from Marine HQ?!"

Then, all eyes turned to Buggy.

"Hey! Hang on a sec! Captain Buggy…you sailed with Gold Roger?!"

"And you're Shanks's blood brother?!"

"Our savior sure is a great pirate, huh?!"

_The Marines must really be getting stupid!_ Blizzard thought. _The legendary 'Red-Haired' Shanks, related to THIS BOZOE?! It's impossible!_

"This is bad," Buggy whispered. "If they know all of that, then they're sure to come after me!"

"He has quite an impressive past," said Jimbei.

"And yet he's so weak," mused Mr. 1.

Crocodile stood silent.

"So why do you play so dirty?!" Mr. 3 questioned.

"There are a few rotten apples on every ship," said Ivankov.

"Oh, yeah," said Luffy. "The first mate did say something like that, didn't he?"

"FIRST MATE?!" Buggy cried.

"Yeah. Old Man Rayleigh," Luffy said. "You know him, don't you?"

"YOU MET RAYLEIGH?!" Buggy questioned, excitedly. "How is he? Oh…saying his name brings back such good memories! Where is that old sea dog, now?"

"Now they're talking about 'Dark King' Rayleigh!"

"I can't believe it!"

"Wow, Captain Buggy! I knew you were something special, the moment I saw you!"

"N-now wait!" Buggy said. "Hold on a second! What you heard may be true, but…if they think I'm a big shot, they're gonna hunt me down like dogs."

"Buggy! Buggy! Buggy!" the prisoners cheered.

"I was only a rookie pirate-in-training, back then!" Buggy rebuked. "Stop cheering for me, you bastards! If you make such a big deal out of this…" He then smirked and turned away from everyone.

_Although, I have to admit,_ he thought, _this does feel pretty good! Fine, so maybe the Marines are overestimating me, a bit, but this could work out in my favor. Besides, everything they said is technically true! In those fools' eyes, I'm a hero! This could be my big chance! If I somehow managed to kill Whitebeard and take his head, then I'd…I'd…I'd become one of the Four Emperors! And that just brings me one step closer to becoming King of the Pirates! A lot of these guys probably have bigger bounties on their heads than I do, but if I put their talents to work for me, the sky's the limit!_

"Captain Buggy! We'll follow you, anywhere!"

"Please! Command us!"

They started to draw their weapons.

"We'll take this ship away from these stupid bastards who're taking us to Marineford!"

"Yeah! And then, it's freedom at last!"

Luffy didn't seem to know what was happening, but Blizzard knew treachery when he saw it. He got up and growled at the advancing escapees.

"We'll be taking this ship, Straw Hat!"

"Yeah! We just got outta prison! We don't wanna go to no Marine Headquarters!"

"And what's more, we've got Captain Buggy to lead us! You and that mutt are way outta your league!"

"Let's do it, Captain Buggy!"

"Yeah! Just give the order!"

"This could be a problem," Jimbei commented.

"Let's just kill them," said Crocodile.

"Buggy! Buggy! Buggy! Buggy! Buggy!"

_Yes! YES!_ Buggy thought to himself. _I think I can do this, no problem!_

"SHUT UP, ALL YOU IMPULSIVE MORONS!" Buggy ordered.

"Huh?" the prisoners muttered.

"You ungrateful pack of dogs!" Buggy shouted. "This ship isn't stopping for anything! We're sailing smack-dab in the middle of this full-scale war! Our destiny lies straight ahead! So brace yourselves for the worst and THINK of the possibilities! The biggest in all the world is within our reach! And that, men, is EXACTLY what we're going after! We'll never get another opportunity such as this!"

The prisoners stared, awestruck at Buggy's speech.

"Now, if you really call yourselves 'men'," Buggy said, "then follow me to glory! Today, I will take Whitebeard's head, and RULE THE WORLD!"

"YES, CAPTAIN BUGGY!" the prisoners cried, some of them even tearful.

"Oh, captain!"

"It must've been all that torture we had when we in prison!"

"They broke our warrior spirits!"

"We all had such big dreams until we were stuck in that hellhole!"

"We'll follow you to the ends of the earth, Captain Buggy!"

"Screw safety! I want a life of glory and adventure or die trying!"

"All right, then!" Buggy shouted. "ONWARD TO MARINE HEADQUARTERS~!"

"YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH~~!"

_Uh…what just happened?_ Blizzard thought, puzzled.

"So I guess it's settled, then," Luffy said.

"It appears that Buggy has a talent for leadership," said Jimbei.

"Captain Buggy, you're the greatest!"

"The best leader the world has ever seen!"

"We'll follow you, even to hell and back!"

"Ha-ha-ha-ha!" Buggy laughed. "That's good!"

And so, with new friends and unlikely allies, Luffy and Blizzard successfully escaped from Impel Down. Their next destination: Marineford. There, they will be involved in the most epic battle imaginable…and their strength will be put to the ultimate test.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

* * *

><p>At last! I'm done with this arc! Phew!<p>

I'll probably start more of Whereabouts of the Crew tomorrow.

Review, please!


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